


Cold Comfort

by roughknuckles, Saklani



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Consensual Non-Consent, Dubious Consent, M/M, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Prison Sex, Rura Penthe, Stockholm Syndrome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-28
Updated: 2016-10-22
Packaged: 2018-08-11 02:45:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 55,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7873075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roughknuckles/pseuds/roughknuckles, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saklani/pseuds/Saklani
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kirk finds himself on Rura Penthe, the Klingon prison planet (from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country). In order to survive, he aligns himself with Khan. </p><p>Not a true non-con. This is DUBIOUS CONSENT. Conditional, situational consent.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Captain James T. Kirk loathed Rura Penthe almost as much as he hated Admiral Alexander Marcus.  His successful efforts to expose and help destroy Section 31 had landed him on this fucking rock, when the Enterprise ended up stranded in Klingon space after being set-up by Marcus’ cronies.  Jim managed to get his ship and crew to safety, but traded himself in the effort.  He had snagged a viridium chip, which he inserted into his right shoulder, so Spock could track him.  The Vulcan had promised to come for Jim as soon as they could, predicting a little over a month’s time.

The first week plus had been worse than Hell, as Jim was the target of every alien with a grudge against Starfleet, a hatred of humans, or a desire for a boyishly good-looking bitch.  With a mixture of balls, brains and the ferocity that had gotten Jim his place as Captain of the Enterprise, he managed to hold them off for nine days.  But the ninth day was a closer call than Jim wanted to admit, and he knew better than to think he could hold out for much longer.  So, he approached the one person everyone, guards and prisoners alike, respected and feared- the augmented former Emperor, Khan Noonien Singh- with a proposition.  Protection for escape.

For the augment, Khan, exile on the frozen planet was tolerable. Even on the surface, where others died within minutes of exposure to the elements. It was easy enough for him to leave the subterranean cave system that had been hollowed out even further into cells, but there was nowhere to go, and that was the problem. All the surface had to offer was more ice, snow, wind and cold. Though a few rare glimpses of sunlight were pleasing to the eyes every few months, after being below ground for so long. But still the problem remained, Khan was stuck here. There was no escape, unless the remnants of Section 31 retrieved him. Which the augment determined to be highly unlikely. Khan had fulfilled his usefulness years ago. So this was where he had been left, put on ice, as it were, to wait. And wait.

But Khan was a patient man. He played for the long term. So, when Kirk came across his path, the augment could see the potential in their alliance. Kirk had friends that would get him off the prison planet. And as long as Khan kept the man alive until then, he would get the opportunity to leave the icy hell as well.  

Although their agreement was simple, the details were devilish, as they had to be in a place like Rura Penthe.  To make Khan’s protection believable, to give Jim the true shield he required in the den of murderers and rapists, he had to play at being Khan’s little bitch, a decidedly uncomfortable role.  Especially since it required actual sex, more than once in a public location.  The other prisoners wouldn’t buy the arrangement without signs of Khan’s ‘use’ of his fucktoy.  Visual and otherwise.  

Jim loved sex as much as the next guy.  Probably more.  But not this way.  Not as a one-sided event where only one party got any fun (although Jim doubted Khan enjoyed this part of the arrangement, either).  Not that the augment had hurt him anymore than was necessary to keep up appearances, but Jim’s ass was sore and his neck hurt from the goddamn bites.  Khan had legitimate fury against Section 31 and Admiral Marcus, but Jim wasn’t to blame for the way he’d been treated.  In fact, Jim was on his side more than on Section 31’s, godfuckingdammit.  And frankly, the augment also terrified Jim.  He was impossibly strong and intelligent and cold-calculating in a way that froze Jim’s blood more than the planet’s freezing temperatures.   

Still, it was hard to tell what Khan really thought of anything.  Besides moments of rage, there was only a stoic calm that reminded Jim of the eye of a hurricane before it tore up everything in its path.  Khan had done that multiple times in his defense of Jim, before the others learned truly to let him alone if their valued their limbs and life.  Which was why Jim knew the brutish Nausicaan currently gripping him by the throat must be a newcomer.  

“You don’t want to fuck with me,” he wheezed around the hand that throttled his windpipe, not even bothering to struggle.  

“Humans are puny,” the alien snarled.  “And pretty.  You will please me.”  He shook Jim like a ragdoll.

The prison culture was completely vile to Khan. It was a collection of the very worst, every race had to offer. Himself included. Except for Jim Kirk, who although was brave and daring, lacked the cruelty and viciousness of the other inmates. He didn't belong here, that was clear enough. But he would do what was necessary to survive. Which meant consenting to portray a certain image. On Rura Penthe, Jim Kirk belonged to Khan. It was a barbaric social structure, and Khan loathed it.

Even so, the augment took his duties to protect Kirk very seriously. And to the very extreme. Which on occasion had required very public acts, so that everyone could see for themselves, the power Khan held, making it very clear, that Kirk was off-limits. Kirk was his.

So when the assault on Khan's property took place, the augment was there within seconds. The Nausicaan was substantially taller than Khan, but that mattered little. "Remove your hands from **_my property_ ** ." Khan growled, a low rumble which echoed within the walls of the ice cave. " **_Or I shall remove your hands_ **."

Jim slumped a little more in relief as the chilling snarl of Khan echoed off the rocks around them.  A crowd had gathered almost immediately, sensing blood in the air and wanting their share of the fun.  He hoped the damn creep would react to Khan’s challenge soon, though, cause dark spots were beginning to form in his vision at the continued lack of oxygen.

The Nausicaan looked unconcerned at this new human that had dared to confront him, smiling rather unpleasantly in a way that revealed his fangs.  “This meat is no longer yours, human scum,” he rumbled, shaking Jim some more.  “He’ll help warm my bed for a few weeks before I tear through him.  Maybe then I’ll come for you.”  He licked his lips in a grotesque fashion, leering at Khan’s dark figure.  “Now, outta my way!”  He turned and lurched forward, half-dragging the gasping human behind.

Repulsive, vulgar creatures, all of them. The Nausicaan, who wanted to fuck Kirk to death, ripping through his body. The onlookers, who secretly wanted to do the same. And the remainder of the crowd, who wanted to see if the Nausicaan would get away with it or not. The answer was, he would not. As Khan was no human, even if he was mistaken for one. So as he launched himself onto the Nausicaan pirate, it was not a matter of bumping into him, but like the full force of a bullet train, severing any flesh and bone in its path, without slowing down.

Khan landed squarely against the creature's back, then reached around and grabbed the tusks from the corner of his mouth and began to pull backwards, forcing the Nausicaan to tilt his head back, exposing his ashen throat for a kill, if only Khan had a free hand to do so.

Jim groaned and began coughing and choking for air as his body hit the floor with a thump, the Nausicaan releasing him the instant he was hit.  Vaguely conscious, Jim dragged himself away from the fight and the spectators, not wanting to give any one of them a chance to get hold of him in the interim.  His throat ached from the force of the alien’s grip, but the sweet oxygen filling his lungs began to clear his head again.  He lifted his eyes to the spectacle that had the inmates and guards cheering with vicious pleasure all around them.

The Nausicaan grabbed for the creature on his back, intent on getting two handfuls of him and throwing him into the wall.  The pain in his tusks was blinding, making his howl over even the yells of their audience.  How was this a human?  Such strength and speed did not exist in their race.

Using the heel of his boots to dig into the bone of the Nausicaan's hips, Khan kept himself on the alien's back, riding him in a way, as if he were nothing but an animal that needed to be forcibly broken. And he would be broken. Everyone there to see it would remember it.

Throwing his weight backwards, Khan pulled the alien back, overbalancing until they both hit the ground, Khan first.  But it did not bother him, as this was the position he was looking for. With his legs and thighs tight around the Nausicaan's large chest, Khan squeezed and compressed the heavy bone structure, until the very distinct sound of bone began to crunch and crack.

Jim winced as the big alien began to scream and turned his face away from the sight.  If he had the voice, he would have begged Khan to stop, despite the need to demonstrate the augment’s dominance to the other inmates.  The crunch of bone made his stomach roil, and he gagged on the remains of the day’s semi-edible food and the fear (his own and that of the Nausicaan).  Khan really was death on a pale horse.

As the Nausicaan was finding out.  He tore at the beast on his back, trying to rip off flesh and break bone and force the loosening of the death grip on his chest.  He had ended the life of many before his sentence to Rura Penthe, and the end of those lives meant as nothing to him.  But as ribs caved in to the unending pressure, he dimly realized that he now understood what they felt at their ends.  Cold terror and merciless pain.  It made him shriek the louder and tear with even greater desperation at his attacker.

Enduring the blind attempts to get him to stop, Khan ignored the ribbons of blood and deep gashes that the Nausicaan was managing in these moments of adrenaline fuelled fear. In contrast, the augment was quite calm with what he was doing. It came to him, perhaps too easily. Just as an lion with the throat of its prey in his mouth, as all Khan needed to do was wait for his victim to give in, and relinquish his last breath.

But before then, Khan had a promise to keep. With the crushing hold around the alien's chest, Khan was free to reach for his knife. And as the Nausicaan reached for him again, Khan speared his knife into the back of the alien's hand and pinned it to the ground, bleeding out and staining the ice.

The crowd howled its approval even louder.  Most of them would be no match for a Nausicaan, and a murderer like this one would have wreaked fear, blood and havoc among them all.  The augment kept his distance, so long as his property was left undisturbed.  So, they favored him in this fight, as a lesser evil to their already soiled lives.  Beside, this bloodsport appealed to them all.  Lesser physical confrontations were already breaking out amongst them, as if a contagion caught from the larger fight in front.

As the knife pinned his hand, the Nausicaan remembered the words of pain that had been promised to him, and his free hand snagged at the black fur on top of the human’s head, using all remaining strength to try and twist the neck or break the spine of his unrivaled attacker.

“Please, just kill him,” Jim finally managed to rasp out from where he struggled to get to his knees nearby.  “Please, Khan, just end it.”  His voice barely broke a whisper in his raw throat, but if anybody might hear over the pandemonium, he knew it would be the augment.

Khan turned his sharp eyes on Jim, the instant he could hear his voice, picking it out of the chaos as if the man were simply whispering in his ear late one night. Which he never did. There was not that kind of intimacy between them. But upon hearing these words, Khan was reminded once more that Kirk did not actually belong here, and such sights and sounds were distressing to him.

With another low growl, Khan reached for his knife and plucked it out of the Nausicaan's hand and dragged it across his throat instead, making the cut deep, so that he would drown in his own blood quickly.

The crowd made a noise of displeasure at being robbed so quickly of their sport, but subsided instantly, not wanting to anger the augment.  

Jim struggled to his feet as the Nausicaan gargled out his life and lurched a few feet away from the soon-to-be-corpse.  His breath felt like sandpaper in his throat, but it was plentiful at least.  “Fuck,” he gasped.  “Fuckfuckfuck.”  He leaned into the wall and finally looked toward Khan, assessing his mood and his wounds.  

As Khan relaxed the muscles in his legs, the augment moved out from the dead body and stood. This was still a delicate time. Khan won the fight, but he still needed control over the crowd. Using the knife and the strength of his own hands. Khan severed and tore off each of the Nausicaan's hands and dropped them on his chest. The message was clear. His words were not to be taken lightly. Khan keeps his word.

Then cleaning his knife on the front jacket the dead alien wore, Khan concealed it on his person once more. "Do not touch my property. Do not look at my property," Khan said, giving orders to the room, looking each one of the other prisoners in the eye. "If my property passes you in these halls, you avert your eyes! You do not have my permission to even LOOK at him. UNDERSTOOD?"

A ripple passed through the crowd, message received and definitely heard.  They dispersed quickly after that, none of them daring to glance back in the direction of the augment or his human companion.  Even those wanting the Nausicaan’s belongings shrunk away, knowing their time would come later.  If Khan and his playtoy didn’t take everything for themselves.

Jim grimaced at the bloody mess of Nausicaan, but forced himself forward to Khan’s side, head down.  He swallowed around the bile of acting the part of submissive slave, but this event proved why he needed Khan’s protection.  The unending parade of bastards wanting his ass would have quickly worn him down, so that he would have been prey to them in the end.  He did lift a hand to one of Khan’s wounds, frowning a little.  He knew from experience how quickly they healed, but the sight of them caused a bit of worry for the other man.  “Thank you,” he said softly.

With no desire or use for the dead body, Khan left it where it was in the ice. He gave a nod to Jim to turn around. "We will return to my room," he said, his tone still carrying an echo of his anger, but it was also clear that the augment was attempting to push it away, now that it was no longer needed. Then with a hand to the back of Jim's neck, the two walked forward. Khan's property in hand, as they returned to his room. Though a room on Rura Penthe was generally not much more than a hollowed out section of ice and rock.

There were a few larger areas, that housed makeshift bunk beds and a large collection of the inmates. But Khan had no taste for sharing his sleeping space, nor the goods he acquired. Which included empty sacs that once held rice or Romulan grain as bedding, spread thick over planks of wood that had once been shipping crates. "Sit down."

Jim was aware of eyes secretly upon them the entire trek through the prison to their shared quarters, which were Khan’s.  They were the best in the whole squalid place, selected and guarded with ferocity by Khan, and the ones he had inhabited before Jim arrived.  But reaching them required a long walk, a parade in front of prisoner and guard alike.  And it was the Klingons, much more so than the other inmates, from whom Jim detected glee at his predicament.  He had no doubt that there was ample holovids being circulated by the Klingon Empire of the hated Captain Kirk as bitch to the perverted Khan.  That was what really made his guts twist into knots.

Still, it had to be borne, so he stood up under it as best he could, even now, as Khan issued him orders.  He sat heavily on the ground and just concentrated on breathing.  Every moment on Rura Penthe required watchfulness, even now.  Khan would keep his word not to hurt Jim, of that he felt sure, but what else the augment might deem necessary, that was harder to gauge.  So, he waited in uncertain silence, not wanting to anger the augment more than the necessary fight already had.

Lighting a lamp that burned off cooking oils, Khan illuminated the room before he closed them in by placing a few large obstacles by the entry, followed by drawing a veil of fabric across the entrance so that they had some pretence of privacy.

On the floor was a new crate. When the fresh shipment of inmates had arrived, so had rations and supplies. Khan had been there to get first pick. "Can you speak? Say my name." Khan said, pressing his fingers carefully to the bruised muscle of Jim's neck.

“Khan Noonien Singh,” Jim rasped out and then coughed a little at the end.  “I’m okay.  You look worse than me,” he huffed out, coughing a few times in between.  He turned a little to look over the augment again, noting the injuries that were sluggishly bleeding now.  “Let me help you?” he asked and offered in one.  He kept his head still as Khan poked at his neck, though there was danger in those strong fingers, as he had just graphically seen.  “Sorry for the trouble.”

"I am certain the trouble was not of your choosing," Khan said, then dropped his hands away for a moment. From under the bed, Khan pulled out a pot of melted snow and ice. It was cold, but the water was clean, and was used to wash, with the rag already in the basin. It was not drinking water, that water Khan stored more carefully.

Pulling out the rag, then squeezing it out, Khan handed the damp cloth to Kirk. "Press this against your neck for a time, it will help with the swelling." Khan said, then pulled off his own shirt to examine the injuries that were visible to him. He picked and ran his fingers over the cuts without any indication that he felt the stinging pain. Or the cold.

Jim shivered violently as he pressed the freezing water to his neck. It might help with the swelling, but it sure as Hell wouldn’t help with the temperatures.  The Klingons didn’t waste much heating their prison, the place was just above freezing their ‘guests’ to death.  And the cold on his neck was nearly unbearable in the frigid air.  But he kept it in place and watched as Khan refused his offer to take care of himself.

“Fuck this place,” he rasped out with a hoarse chuckle, followed by a deeper cough.  No, he hadn’t chosen trouble.  He was trying to get back to their shared quarters as quickly and quietly as possible after his shift in the mines.  Instead, he’d been grabbed by the Nausicaan and all thoughts of a mostly bearable day were lost.  He reached back and grabbed one of their large blankets, tossing the furs so they landed over Khan and himself.

"Yes. Indeed," Khan said simply. He had begun to scrub at his injuries with a handful of snow, irritating the skin briefly, cleaning away the blood and filth of the Nausicaan likely had under his nails. It was cold, but it cleaned the wounds. Then as Jim covered them both in the thick fur blankets, things were decisively less cold. His own body heat began to compensate, creating a pocket of warmth for them both to share under the blanket.

After a scene like the one today, Jim knew Khan would need to reclaim his ‘property’ in a more intimate way than the battle.  The inmates and guards would be listening for the tell-tale sounds of property being re-established, territory being restaked.  He made a soft sighing noise and asked in his garbled voice, “Give it a half-hour?  Gaer’ath will be in place by than.”  He mentioned one of the more hated Klingon guards, who enjoyed smacking Jim’s ass when he got too close and making very lewd threats.  He also enjoyed listening in on them and mentioned it the next day without fail.

Khan nuzzled his nose in close to Jim's bruised neck. Close, but not touching. He breathed in the scent of the injured skin slowly. "I am unaccustomed to waiting for others. I have no desire to cater to his perversions," Khan said, then dragged his tongue over Jim's neck, wet and warm, meant to be soothing to the abused skin.

Jim shivered at the touch, which was completely different from anything he was used to before.  And the words ... they made no sense at all.  The whole point was to cater to the perversions of the situation and the entire damn population of Rura Penthe.  But Jim didn’t dare say that, not in this moment.  He sensed a sea change in the air and didn’t want to upset the dangerous augment by mishandling it.    

“No?” he asked softly.  “What is it you do desire, Khan?”  He tugged the blanket closer to warm himself up, the water now trickling down his back in freezing rivulets.

The question startled Khan. For a few brief seconds, the augment had believed his own deception, that Kirk was his. “You are correct,” he said with a soft sigh. “it is not about what I want. We will wait.”

Jim shifted a little toward the augment, drawn by the warmth he projected, and tilted his neck in an obvious offer of more of the abraded skin to Khan’s touch.  The gentle tongue had felt good, soothed away the pain of the bruising flesh.  Their alliance may not have been something he’d wanted or sought out in other circumstances, but it existed for now, and he had already conditioned himself to accepting any benefits that might come from it.  

“This place sucks,” he repeated in a low, rough tone, “and if there’s something that might lessen that, even for a few minutes, for you …”  He trailed off and lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug.  “Will you tell me what you want?”

"What I want is not a part of the arrangement," Khan said, clarifying further. But it hinted at the fact that Khan found no real pleasure in manhandling Kirk in the way that was necessary in this environment. Though being rough and dominant did come naturally to the augment. So there was no acting required on that level. "I have been here too long, I think," Khan said after a pause. "For a moment, I wanted to lick and suck at your neck, soothe the muscles, make it smell like me once more."

“Well, that’s- that’s fine, Khan,” Jim said.  “I’d prefer to smell like you than like that- that thing that grabbed me.”  His voice wobbled on the last words.  “Fuck, I owe you my life, and more ... again.”  He shut his eyes and tilted even closer to Khan, instinctively seeking out warmth and yes, safety.  “Never thought you’d want anything outside the arrangement with me,” he added with a bit of his old wry humor.  “Always figured you got the short end of the stick.”

"I have no wish to break the rules of our arrangement," Khan said, though he slid his hand over Jim's chest, rubbing small circles to keep his blood circulating.  "For a moment, for a reason I cannot explain, I forgot that it was a lie. And so I wanted ... I wanted-" Khan frowned slightly, "I wanted to soothe my lover. Not put on a show."

Jim finally lifted his head and opened his eyes to really regard Khan, close and personal.  “I’ve never allowed myself to think of it as more than an arrangement,” he rasped.  “Something we both had to do to get out of here.”  

Khan had all the power in this place, and Jim never forgot that.  He’d thought of what might become of him if, as was certainly well possible, the Enterprise couldn’t rescue them.  Khan’s rage might turn on him or he might toss Jim to the prison population, as so many of the weaker prisoners were once their owners tired of them.  Neither of those things were pleasant prospects.  Binding Khan to him with ties stronger than just their arrangement, the ties of a lover, that was prudent.  Logical, even, as Spock would say.  

But it would also be monstrous to do to the older man if Jim didn’t really want it; one more monstrous act in Hell.  Khan had been stuck here longer than Jim, and despite his being designed to survive, Jim didn’t really believe he was completely unscarred by it.  He never said or showed anything, so it was based solely on Jim’s gut feeling.  He had pretty damn good guts, though.

So, he considered it with his quicksilver mind and with his carefully guarded heart, deciding if he wanted more, wanted Khan.  And after a moment, he nodded once, eyes a little brighter than they had been since he was tossed into this pit.  

“We could do both,” he offered quietly.  “Might take me some time to get used to the idea, but I’d like something good.  Fuck.  I could really use something good right now, Khan.”  And to show he wasn’t kidding, he leaned in and lightly scraped his teeth over the underside of Khan’s jaw, a submissive gesture in wolves, which Khan had demanded of him in several of their ‘shows.’

It had been only a stray thought. One he almost did not admit to. It had not occurred to Khan that Kirk would be agreeable. At most, Khan expected that he might have to apologize for voicing the uncomfortable thought, and the two would return to the roles in their arrangement. But now- now, Jim was kissing him in the way wolves did, with their teeth, and a tightness in his chest began to ease. "Yes-" Khan agreed. "I too, could use something good right now."

“Please, tell me what you want, what you’re thinking, Khan,” Jim said, making it a plea, rather than a demand.  He believed the augment responded better to being asked, especially humbly.  Allowing himself to relax a little, he pressed into the warmth of the augment, knowing they would soon need to give their listening audience what he wanted anyway.  Jim desired to have reached some sort of accord with the older man before that necessity.

"I want to soothe the tenderness of your neck, with my mouth. And in the future, I would like to soothe the aches I give you, after providing the necessary spectacle. Would that be acceptable, to begin with?"  

“Yeah, I’d like that, Khan,” Jim said quietly.  “Would you allow me to help you when you’re injured defending me?  I know you probably don’t need it as much as I do, but- I don’t like to watch you hurt.”  He reached out tentatively and touched one of the almost healed cuts on Khan’s chest, where the Nausicaan had torn at him.

It was a curious thing. Khan had never had anyone in his life attend to him in such a way. Or even suggest doing so. And though it was not strictly necessary, Khan felt that he might like the attention, the extra pair of hands on him as he healed. "Thank you. That would be- an unexpected kindness in this place."

Jim cleared his throat and said, “It doesn’t have to end there.  We could, put on a spectacle without it being solely for show ... if you wanted.  Especially when we’re here, away from more than ears.  Up to you … but I’d like that.”  He rubbed his thumbs over the augment’s strong torso and traced his collarbone, thinking the man was thinner than he should be.  Still built of muscle, but without anything else to support his frame.

"How might we do this?" Khan asked, willing to listen and clearly open to ideas for them to move forward in this way. "How might I, make it more enjoyable for you?" Khan allowed his own hand to fall away from Jim's chest, no longer attempting to circulate the blood in his body, as he could tell that his human companion was getting warmer now that they had been under the blanket together for this extended time.

“Prep,” Jim said instantly.  “We’ll have to improvise it, but fucking Hell I am sick of being abraded to shit.”  He flushed a little at his outburst and then quirked his lips at Khan.  “Even saliva would be better than nothing.  Won’t always be able to, but when we can ... please?”  He lifted his head again to look into his eyes.  “Let me see you, when I can.  It’ll be easier to see that you don’t mean it then ... It’s hard to believe when you can’t see.”  He reached for the hand that had fallen away and tangled their fingers.  “Touch sometimes like you want to.”

Khan met Jim's eyes, steady and calm. "It was meant as a small mercy- taking you from behind. So that I did not see your pain and disgust. And you did not see mine." Though as Jim also requested that Khan touch him, of his own free will, because he wanted to, not because he had to, Khan leaned in once more and began to bathe his tongue over Jim's abused neck. "I shall." He said quietly.

“And in public, it worked better,” Jim agreed softly, arching his neck to the warm touch.  “We’ll have to do it again that way, I’m sure.  Where you can’t prep me, and we can’t see each other.  It’s the part we both have to play until we get out of here.”  He dared finally to lift both of his arms and wrap them loosely around Khan’s neck and shoulders, just resting them there.  “That feels nice,” he murmured indistinctly.  “Bastard really did a job on me.  Thought he might crush my throat for a second.  And then you showed up.”

"The new shipment of prisoners also brought cargo, food for the guards, rations for us, tools for the mine ... I was getting supplies, when I became alerted to what was going on. I have food in the crate, if you are hungry." Khan offered, though leaned into the almost-embrace, turning his head further to the side so that he could lick and clean the abused muscle.

“‘S not your fault,” Jim murmured.  “Jus’ bad luck.   Only good luck I’ve had in months is your being here.  And that’s not much luck for you.”  He arched his head up as far as it would go now, wanting the warm tongue to soothe away all of the aches of his neck.  “Can eat after you fuck me.”

Khan hummed softly, perhaps for the first time since making their arrangement, actually looking forward to the sex. But for now, he tilted his head to the other side and carefully pressed his lips to the front of Jim's throat, nuzzling the spot with his nose, before licking at the skin, in long, slow drags of his tongue.

Jim, too, for the first time, allowed himself to fully enjoy Khan’s touches.  He had always loved sex, from a very young age, where he’d discovered some of the magical properties of his cock.  But this place had dulled that enjoyment, twisted it into something unpleasant and even sick.  He wanted the fun back, the pleasure.  And with Khan, done right, the immense thrill of putting himself in the hands of someone a fuckton stronger and with a cock that could split him in two.  He moaned, though it hurt his throat to do so, and said, “Feels fucking good, Khan …”

Khan could still not accurately explain to himself, never mind articulate it to Jim, why it was he wanted to do this. Why this, of all things, had been his desire. Other than to say that he wanted to treat Jim as his lover, as someone who was his (but not in the cruel, perverse way that was unfortunately popular in a place like this). Someone, Khan would look after, even if they had not made an arrangement. "We will give your throat time to rest and heal." Khan said, by way of suggesting that he would not be leaving bite marks there any time soon, nor expect to take oral satisfaction by fucking his mouth.

“Thanks,” Jim croaked and shifted back and down.  He arranged their pile of furs as comfortably as possible and spread himself back over them.  Quick, nimble fingers began to rid him of the raggedy clothing he wore, setting it aside carefully.  There were multiple layers to be taken care of, but with Khan keeping their main set of furs over his shoulders and above Jim like a tent, he stripped himself for the augment to really see.  This was an art, and Jim was a master, exposing himself for the first time completely to let Khan view what he had gotten in this deal.  And when he was finally bare, he spread his legs and just gazed a challenge at the augment.

Without comment, except for a small, growing pleasure in his eyes, Khan watched as Jim unwrapped himself, presenting his body as a gift, for Khan to accept and take. With the fur blanket further shielding them from the sadistic world they found themselves, Khan and Jim could share this small privacy with each other. The heat of their bodies trapped under the blanket helped to block out the cold of the world, beyond where they lay. And so holding himself up with one arm, Khan reached with his other hand, stroking his hand down Jim's torso, touching the skin and muscle in a way he had not previously allowed himself.

Jim’s eyes fluttered as a pleasant sensation spread through him from where that hand traced over his body, the touch not harsh or demanding, but gentle, exploring, if perhaps a bit proprietary.  But he figured that was Khan’s nature.  He arched up slightly into the fingers on his chest and abdomen and made a low, contented noise in the back of his throat.  He didn’t want to encourage Khan to speed up this time, though they probably should for sake of the show, but instead, just asked for touch everywhere.  “What do you want?” he repeated.

Still fully clothed, Khan settled himself between Jim's parted thighs, pressing the weight of his body over his companion. His left hand skimmed down Jim's right arm until coming to his wrist and the soft part of his palm. Here Khan held his hand, in a way, as he began to rub against Jim's inner thigh. The augment found the slow friction of their bodies arousing, though watched Jim for signs that this was good for him as well.

Jim studied his companion with equal interest, the bright blue of his eyes gleaming in the low light of their room.  He reached up slowly with the hand not holding Khan’s and carefully stroked through the dark hair of his head.  There was something arousing now in being naked while Khan remained clothed, and he lightly rutted into the augment in response to the bulge pressing into his thigh.  He allowed his head to fall back slowly to expose his neck to Khan again, invitation and submissiveness in one.

With his face pressed in close, Khan began to lightly kiss Jim on the neck, still wishing to pay the wounded area his attention. Minute by minute, Khan began to relax, cautiously exploring how some of these encounters might not be so bad. Indeed, as a pleasant shuddering sensation slid down his back and settled in his groin, Khan groaned openly as he expressed genuine pleasure.

Jim echoed that noise, though his throat prevented it from being a very impressive sound.  Still, he wanted to both give their normal show and demonstrate to Khan that he was enjoying the current sensations.  And the lips on his neck were soft and tender and very different from anything he’d experienced in months.  “Khan,” he whispered and dipped his fingers deeper into the long hair, petting now as he would a large cat.  He rubbed a little more firmly into Khan’s groin, encouraging the growing hardness.

As the heat of Jim's body became more welcoming and teased the augment's senses, Khan finally reached below and undid the top of his pants. Enough, that he could pull his cock out and rub it against Jim's skin without barrier. Here, Khan began to rub himself along the side of Jim's shaft, letting the two bump into one another and rub more intimately. "There, that's good." Aware that his dialogue needed to show that he was in control of Jim and pleased with his efforts. But what they were doing under the blankets was now nobody's business. So Khan used his warm hand to stroke them both in turn, keeping the blood circulating and stimulating the delicate nerves.

Even with the change in their agreement, Khan still dominated the proceedings, clothed and on top of the naked Jim.  But he felt comfortable now with the arrangement, welcoming Khan’s warmth and the pleasure that coursed from his cock upward and throughout.  He tugged lightly at their joined hands and brought them up to his mouth, where he could lick at Khan’s knuckles and finally, take his thumb lightly into a warm, nimble mouth.  He shut his eyes and sucked as he would give a blowjob, though not so deep or as roughly, since his throat protested.

"Oh- I like that." Khan said with another groan, which vibrated through his body and caused the augment to arch and thrust in place. "That's good ... you are very good-" Khan said, letting his lips once more brush against the side of Jim's neck, where he began to lick and gently suck an area close to his shoulder, which was not as badly discolored.

Jim made a deliberately harsh sound around Khan’s thumb and regretted it when it nearly unleashed a coughing fit.  But he fought it down and sucked even more fervently at the digit, before releasing with a wet popping sound.  “Lubricant?” he asked quietly and switched to licking at the other fingers, before releasing Khan’s hand with his own so he could take in the first two digits of his hand to wet as much as possible.

Khan was surprised that Jim was still willing, as he knew that the saliva would barely get the job done. It would still be a rough ride and it was upsetting to think about, now that he had to face seeing the pain in Jim's face. "It will have to do." Khan said, pressing a kiss to the side of Jim's neck before pulling his head back a little to watch.

Jim sucked until Khan’s fingers were dripping and then released them with another lewd sound.  “It’ll be alright,” he told the augment and gave the hand a little push under the blanket.  “Tell me how much you like to have me riding your hand, your cock,” he urged and angled his hips a little to give Khan more room to push inside.  “It’ll be alright,” he repeated firmly, just for Khan’s ears.

Taking the time to feel around, Khan used two of his wet fingertips to rub the outside rim of Jim's hole. He could tell where some of it was still raw, but moving forward, Khan could show more care with the human body entrusted to him. Rubbing this area, making it wet and slick so that it no longer felt chapped, Khan began to work his finger inside, which was a relief to them both, in different ways. Still, Khan shifted between watching Jim like a hawk, or else looking down between their two bodies while he fingered him.

Jim grunted a little at the first penetration, deep and low.  He had taken Khan inside his body many times before this and could, indeed, count Khan as his most frequent sexual companion, which was a good joke on them both.  But this was the first time the augment had taken care to really stretch before he shoved his cock inside.  During their initial coupling, which had been a nightmare affair in front of almost the entire prison population, Jim had literally shrieked as Khan’s cock tore into his ass.  Only part of that noise had been for show, and his ass slowly healed from that trauma and the others that followed.  

He didn’t blame Khan. Never had.  They were stuck in an unfortunate situation and making the best of it.  However, it had left his ass more than a little sore and continually abraded.

“There’s a tear on the upper left,” he whispered to the augment, even as he began to actively ride the fingers to try and push his muscles open.

Khan knew he should not have allowed it to get that bad. But he had. He had disconnected from it all, as he had with other forms of pain. "I won't push." Khan said quietly. "You ride my hand." He said, giving Jim the say of how deep to take his fingers, and how hard. Then with his other hand, Khan returned to stroking them both off, though did give himself a bit more of the attention, teasing and squeezing the head, searching for a way to find his release.

Jim smiled a little at the offer and shook his head.  “Not sure I can be convincing that way ... not the way my throat is raw.  Unless you can make up for my lack of noise.”  He wriggled a little to try and get the fingers deeper.  A groan did escape him at the touches to his cock.  Moving the hand not still in Khan’s hair, which had tightened into the black locks, he cupped the augment’s full sack and tugged at them, just the right side of too hard.  “Are you going to splatter me with cum, Khan, since you can’t release inside me?”

"Ah- yes-" Khan groaned deeply, enjoying the firm hold Jim managed. His cock twitched further in his hand, as a sharp thrill darted through his veins. "Ah! You are such a good fuck!" Khan said, attempting to illustrate a scene for the eavesdroppers, even though the truth of it would be between Khan and Jim, only. Khan thrust and rutted against Jim and his own hand, his breathing harder and hotter in the cold air. "Come on- come on-" Khan growled out, head bowed down and eyes closed for a second as he managed to spill himself over Jim's stomach, cock, and the crevice of his thighs.

Jim smirked a little at the words, but angled himself so the fingers inside him did rub at the sensitive skin of his anus.  He winced and made several deep, pained noises, as if Khan were deliberately being rough.  However, he needed the stimulus of the pain to really achieve the sounds necessary for their audience.  But he slowed and stopped as Khan came all over him, blinking a few times at the augment, before he smiled a little, lips quirked up.  “You did that on purpose,” he said softly.  “You’ve never come that fast before.”

The effort Jim was making astounded the augment. The two had always played their roles well, but this was different. Jim had thrown himself head first into hot waters in order to truly sell the experience. Amazed by this, Khan hummed softly, kissing Jim on the side of his neck. "Perhaps because, this is the first time I have enjoyed myself. I liked it when you pulled on my sack and my hair." Khan admitted, his eyes cool and focused on Jim.

Jim carefully moved his hand away from Khan’s testicles and lifted it to his mouth to lick.  He kept petting at the augment’s long hair, though, enjoying the softness.  Even as his tongue worked slowly over his fingers, he murmured, “It’s better when you enjoy yourself.”  He dropped his hand from his mouth and stretched a little with a low groan as his entire body protested.  “Ugh, I’m sore everywhere.  Tomorrow’s shift in the mine is going to suck donkey balls.”  He relaxed back into the furs and blinked a few times lazily at Khan.  “I’ve never asked you, but what do you plan to do once we get off the Hellhole?”

"It is not something I allow myself to think about." Khan said. It was not an idea he would lightly entertain, until he was truly off this frozen rock.

Pulling his fingers out carefully, Khan, gently pet the sphincter muscle with his thumb, offering an intimate, but relaxing touch to Jim's sore and strained body. "If you keep quiet, I could help get you off?" Khan suggested with a slight tilt of his head, uncertain if Jim had those sorts of interests. It was after all, not a conversation they had.

Jim considered a split second and then offered with a sly smile, “You could gag me with your tongue.  I think I’d like that.”  He wrapped his other arm around Khan’s neck and tilted his head in offer.  

Kissing. Kissing had gone almost virtually ignored. Except for Khan demanding a few hard kisses in public. But kissing seemed to be something far too genuine and sweet to exist here. Genuine and sweet did not live long on Rura Penthe. Settling his weight so that he was half straddling one of Jim's legs, Khan nudged his own face closer as he offered Jim a kiss. He tested the taste of Jim's mouth, then kissed him deeper, sucking at his tongue, keeping him mute while his sticky hand began to stroke Jim's cock, squeezing the muscle in pulses, moving as seamlessly as the saliva allowed.

Well, kissing could also be dirty and demanding, and Jim gave that side, scraping Khan’s tongue with his teeth and dueling fiercely with his own tongue.  But it did effectively keep him silent enough as he worked hard into the talented, long-fingered hand on his cock.  And he dug his fingers more deeply into Khan’s nape, trying to leave a few minor bruises of his own.  A few forceful rocks of his hips, the breath sucked almost all out of his lungs, and he splattered them both with his own release, a moment of blissful pleasure.

Though Khan did not say anything, he appeared to almost smile. At least, the corners of his lips pulled into a not-frown. The not-frown lingered as Khan stroked Jim, even after the fact, petting his deflating cock, then touching a little more of his body. Khan then shifted to his side, laying on the bed in the defensive position he took, which kept Jim between Khan and the wall, and it kept Khan as a buffer to the outside world. It was how the two slept at night, warm under the shared blankets. But now it seemed acceptable for Khan to touch his companion, to hold him in bed, rather then simply lay next to him from now on.

Jim grinned a rather satiated smile and stretched again, relieved that his body felt a bit better after the orgasm.  But he frowned a little at the mess on his stomach, chest and thighs, muttering, “Shit,” under his breath.  He eased away from Khan and climbed into the frigid air to fetch a couple of rags, cleaning himself off and tossing the used rag into their waste pile, before diving back under the covers again.  He carried another clean rag and said, “Let me get you,” ducking beneath the covers fully to attend to Khan’s body.  And this he did with both tongue (to the few exposed bits of Khan) and rag, showing his streak of mischievous independence.

Laying back slightly, Khan allowed Jim to clean him, though was bewildered by this attention. He had not made any demands for Jim to clean him. Jim was doing so willingly. “Thank you.” the augment said quietly as his eyes lightly closed, like a cat basking comfortably in sunlight.

“You should not leave yourself exposed like that. You are cold again.” Khan observed and reached out under the blankets to rub his hands over Jim's body to warm him up once more.

Jim’s head emerged from the furs to rest on Khan’s shoulder, and he tossed the dirty rag into their waste pile for disposal.  He had finished quickly, since so little of Khan’s body had ever been exposed, so most of it was just wiping with the rag.  With careful fingers, he had tucked the long, quiescent cock into his pants. Still naked, he snuggled up to the clothed Khan, humming softly at the hands that smoothed over his body.  “That’s nice, Khan.  I’m gonna be sore in the morning ... cause of the Nausicaan, not you.”  He yawned a little and allowed himself to go limp.

Laying in bed with Jim was familiar, but cuddling was new. Khan was quiet for a time, keeping his hands on Jim, ensuring that he did not stay chilled. "When we go to the surface, you will need to stay warm.” It was the first time Khan spoke of their escape, but agreeing on certain things seemed important.

“Yeah,” Jim muttered.  “We’re not going to have long at the surface, no matter how well-wrapped I am, before I freeze.”  He pulled back a little to study Khan’s face.  “How long can you survive up there?”

"I have remained on the surface for five consecutive days. I have not attempted longer than that, but properly supplied I may endure longer.” Khan answered, petting his hand over Jim's side.

Jim nodded a few times and settled his head back on Khan’s shoulder.  “I’ll find a way to make sure that Spock treats you right if I’m not alive when they reach here.  Just, if you can, take my body with you, huh?  Or you know, cremate or dispose of it somehow.  I don’t really fancy being left on this place.  But I’ll write a note or find a way to record a message, something to let Spock know how you helped me out while we were here and asking him to help you.  He’ll respect my wishes.”  He sighed once and tugged the furs tighter around them.   

"It is unhealthy to think of defeat, this far in. But I appreciate the consideration. And promise not to leave your body here, if it comes to it." Khan said, his arm lightly hugged around Jim as they laid together. "Spock is ... your commanding officer?" Khan asked, only recalling Jim mentioning a few people by name.

“It’s not unwise to plan,” Jim said, “and it’d be unfair to let you rot here because I don’t make it.  Commander Spock is my First Officer and friend.  He’s the one who’ll lead the Enterprise here to get me.  Well, him and Bones.”  He smiled a little at the thought of his friends.  “They were pissed when I ordered them to leave me behind, but somebody needed to man the shuttle and distract the Klingons long enough for them to get away.  And I was the logical choice.”  He paused and said, “Sorry.  You’re probably not interested.  It’s just been a long time since there was anyway remotely friendly to talk to.”

"There is no need for you to apologize. I will listen. The story will help pass the night, if you are willing. You have history with the Klingons?"

“Tribbles,” Jim said and hiccuped a laugh that was closer to a giggle.  “I made fools out of them, and there’s nothing worse in their minds.  I’m surprised they decided to just dump me here without more of an interrogation.  I think Admiral Pike had something to do with that.  The Klingons don’t want a war just now.  They’re being battered by the Romulans.”  

Khan went very quiet and still to the point it almost seemed like he wasn't breathing. There was information that he knew regarding the Klingons and warfare, but he continued to hold it to himself for the time being, in case the comments was simply a figure of speech. "A life sentence, for embarrassing them? The punishment is out of proportion to the crime. Surely they must know that a rescue plan is intended. Do you not suspect a trap, that upon your rescue, it will be seen as grounds for things to escalate between Starfleet and the Klingon Empire?"

“Well, we foiled their plans for annexing a planet and helped them join the Federation instead,” Jim said, “and embarrassed the Klingons in the process.  We’ve had other scrapes with them, too, but I was sentenced mostly for being caught in Klingon space.  Spying.  Hell, execution was what I really thought I was bound for.  I guess this is just their slow version of it.  Worst punishment they could think of, and I imagine they’re getting a lot of laughs over you dragging me around as your bitch.”  He shifted a little with a slight shiver.  “Fuck, I’m glad you’re like a furnace.”

“You must know nobody has ever successfully tried to escape from Rura Penthe,” he continued, “and all escape attempts have been tried from the ground.  But we’ve got a sneaky Vulcan on our side, plus a ship in the air.  I don’t know how they’ll do it, but in a few weeks’ time, they’ll be here for me ... for us.  And once they do find we’ve escaped, they’ll be pissed, sure, but what can they do about it?  Even they don’t want a two front war.”  He made a pleased noise at the idea.

"Spying." Khan repeated softly with a single-breath chuckle. "The people who end up here generally do not have allies on the outside, willing to help them escape. In your case, you do, and that is a major factor in your favor, and for the success of escaping this place." Khan slid a hand down the length of Jim's arm, finding his fingers, checking them for showing signs of stiffness and cold. "Stay under the covers this time." Khan said as he began to move out from under the blankets. "You need more layers."

“Where are you going, Khan?” Jim asked as the augment moved away.  He didn’t want to lose the warmth offered by the other man.  “I had no further intentions of leaving the covers, and you’re taking all of the comfort away.”  He snuggled even deeper under the heap of old fur as the augment left.

Instead of answering Jim verbally, Khan answered by opening up a crate with supplies he had hoarded and pulled out another blanket. This one was not a large animal fur, but a heavy fibre, woven together. On its own, the blanket wouldn't be enough, but with what they already had in bed, it would certainly help. So Khan laid it on top of the furs, to continue to keep in the warmth of the bed. "And put this on." Khan said as he pulled off his own shirt, long sleeved and with minimal wear marks. Not to mention, already pre-warmed.

And suddenly, Jim faced a protective Khan, one insistent on his being warm and looked after.  “Oh, I see how it is,” he teased lightly, but sat up to accept the shirt, which was indeed gloriously heated as he pulled it on.  “Yeah, that’s nice.  Now, get back under here.  Augmented or not, being cold sucks.”  He patted the spot beside him and lifted the blankets again.  “Will you tell me something?”

Before returning to the bed, Khan pulled on another shirt. It was cold from being in storage, but his own body would bring it up to temperature soon enough. Whereas if he had given Jim the cold shirt, it would have only made Jim colder. Then moving back into bed, Khan settled once more. "What would you like to know."

Jim leaned in to press against Khan again and said, “How Marcus got his dirty hands on you.  There was nothing but rumor about most of Section 31 until Admiral Pike had me start to dig.  And for all I’ve managed to uncover, you’ve remained one of the most secret parts.  Just that a couple of years ago, your alter-ego, John Harrison, appeared in Starfleet records.”

"You know what I am, of course." Khan said calmly, deciding how he would answer. "For Admiral Marcus and Section 31, I was the perfect spy, mastermind, engineer, sleeper agent, and weapon. But I could not be any of those things, if I could not be controlled." Khan attempted to explain, his eyes shifting to observe the ice crystals on the wall, rather than look at Jim directly.  "I was altered and brainwashed into thinking that I was John Harrison. That the life of John Harrison was my only life, and that my loyalty belonged to Starfleet."

“Fuck, that’s- well, that’s exactly the evil shit Marcus and Section 31 pulls,” Jim said quietly.  “Your appearance was altered?  I mean, I looked up Khan Noonien Singh, and the old pictures didn’t look like you, but I thought maybe that was from when you had to flee Earth?  But you’re saying that’s 'cause of Marcus?”

"Admiral Marcus had my facial structure altered, and changed the pigment of my skin, so that indeed, no one would look at me and see a historical artifact walking through the streets. It was his intention to strip me of all connection to my previous identity, so that I would not be triggered by the memory of my past, or who I was, by simply looking in a mirror." Khan said, frowned a little, then finally looked to Jim.

Jim lifted up a hand and touched Khan’s face gently with his knuckles, tracing the line of his cheek.  “We can talk to Bones about fixing it ... you know, reversing the process, if you want.  If anyone can do it, it’s Bones.”  He frowned a little, a wrinkle between his eyes.  “I suppose you haven’t heard any of the news since you’ve gotten here.  Like about the seventy-two specially designed torpedoes.”

Trusting doctors was not high on Khan's list at the moment. Though he did want to look like himself again, to look at his own body or reflection without irritation or anger. To know, that someone else was seeing him in the same way Khan knew he was on the inside. But to all of this, Khan did not address any sense of hope.

However, Khan felt his heart leap in his chest at the very specifically meaningful number. "Explain."

“The Enterprise has them,” Jim said quietly.  “We found them on the USS Lexington, when we stopped them from firing them on Qu’noS.  And Scotty discovered what was inside them.  Who, I guess we should say.  Fuck, Marcus was going to get rid of some of the evidence while starting his war.  If we hadn’t figured out the plan, he might have succeeded.”  He moved so he could look into Khan’s eyes.

"You have them?" Khan asked, even though Jim had just answered him. The augment had very mixed feelings about this. "What are your intentions?"

“Don’t be an ass,” Jim hissed fiercely.  “I’m not Admiral Marcus.  We don’t have any intentions, except to keep them safe.  We don’t know what to do otherwise, anyway.  Section 31 was going to destroy them, and we’re going to make sure that doesn’t happen.  And what with the case being built against Marcus and Section 31, they’re also evidence.”  He shifted and slid a hand over Khan’s chest.  “That’s part of the reason I wanted to know your ideas and plans for when you got out of here.  Your crew is safe for now, but we must find a way to keep it that way.”

Khan considered Jim Kirk and the intensity of his words. Admiral Marcus and Captain Kirk were not to be compared. They simply were not the same in any manner of thinking. "I too, can be evidence. If given the opportunity." Khan said after a moment of thought. The augment had intended to find his crew and take revenge on Admiral Marcus for all that he had done. But his crew was found, my Kirk. And testifying against the Admiral might not been the revenge Khan had been thinking, but it could be a start.

“Fuck, yeah, we’ll give you the opportunity,” Jim said with a scowl.  “You’re like exhibit number one as to all of the evil that’s been perpetrated by Section 31.  They have taken everything I love about the Federation and pissed all over it.”  He frowned and settled his head on Khan’s shoulder again. “I’m not really sure how to make it up to you, or any of the victims of Section 31.”  He stroked gently at Khan’s strong chest and lightly rubbed his thumb over one of Khan’s nipples, unconsciously acting as he had with other lovers.  It was a sign of his growing comfort now in Khan’s presence.

Turning his head, Khan glanced down at Jim, cuddled up close to him, showing new familiarity and comfort with their arrangement now that it had evolved somewhat. This was definitely better for both of them. "It is not your personal responsibility to make it up to me. But I would like legal protection for me crew, so that this does not happen again."

“It’s partly my responsibility, as a Captain in Starfleet,” Jim muttered.  “To my way of thinking, meeting your people should have been handled like a first contact.  You should have the same legal protections as any people.”  He paused and chewed on his lower lip.  “When did you wake up to who you really are?”

"You mean, when did I start to remember when I was Khan, and not John?" Khan sighed deeply, some frustration on this issue still lingering. "There were moments, when I was in the field, I was remembering things that I could not explain. A smell-" Khan began to illustrate, lightly closing his eyes as he drew up these memories. "And I would be reminded of horse stables, or a color pattern, and I would remember clothing from hundreds of years ago ... it was impossible to rationalize, until it came back to me in full force. By then however, Admiral Marcus had suspected that my memory was returning and that I had grown immune to the drugs and techniques used to keep me obedient. So he got rid of me, without killing me, in case he needed me again."

“By having you exiled here?” Jim asked with incredulity.  “How the Hell would he ever get you back from here?”  He wrinkled his nose in disgust.  “I don’t even want to think about it.  There’s been scuttlebutt of members of the Klingon High Council, as well as some of their generals, who want a war with Starfleet, too.  Since the destruction of part of Qu’noS, the Klingon Empire has been looking to expand.  They think us weak.  It’s hard to think of one of our own conspiring with the very people who want to make war on us because he wants that war himself.”  He made a frustrated noise in the back of his throat.  “We have to get off this fucking place.”

"Admiral Marcus has the mind to dominate exploration and settlements in the universe, under the Starfleet flag. Therefore, other organizations, such as the Klingon Empire, or the Cardassian Union pose a great threat to that idea, as they have their own ambitions for claiming planets and zones within space for themselves. He believes, by showing a stranger hand in warfare, he can dominate other races, and keep them dependent upon Starfleet as a leader, rather than evolve independently." As he spoke, Khan found that his hand had somehow begun to pet at the small hairs at the back of Jim's neck, a light touch to a heavy conversation.

“What bothers me is that he’s not alone,” Jim whispered.  “He’s put together such a large organization inside of Starfleet.  It’s hard to know who to trust.”  He paused and lifted his head again.  “But you know, don’t you?  I bet you don’t forget a face or a name.  You can help us make sure we weed out everyone who’s been involved ... if you want.”  He pulled another face.  “I shouldn’t presume ... this isn’t your fight, for all that Marcus tried to make it yours.”

"Yes. I remember every name, every face, and every deed." Khan said simply, as he distanced himself from certain memories. "Starfleet could be good." Khan admitted. "Or it could be corrupt. And when it comes to injustice and corruption, I have a long history of being quite vocal."

“More than just vocal I bet,” Jim said quietly, thinking of what Khan had done to the Nausicaan.  “We’ll need that if we’re going to root out the evil in Starfleet.”  He sighed and closed his eyes with a grumble.  “At this rate, I’m going to be too worked up to get any sleep at all.  I’m going to need to get up early enough to catch some breakfast tomorrow, since we missed out on dinner.”

"There are supplies in the crate." Khan said as a reminder. "Do not go to sleep hungry. Eat."

“Ugh, I thought you told me not to get up again,” Jim grumbled, but extricated himself to crawl over to the crates and fetch himself some of the food that were edible for him.  He zipped right back into the furs, but turned away from Khan to make sure he didn’t get crumbs on the augment.  “I’m looking forward to getting off the crap they call food around here.  At least I can eat it.”

"The Klingons have different nutritional needs then humans. Many of their foods are high in protein and fat, so at least that is suitable to your metabolism for surviving this environment." Khan said, placing both hands on Jim's back as he moved close to spoon him from behind so that he would remain warm, even though he had left the bed briefly.

“And you make sure we get enough,” Jim said.  “That’s another thing I would have struggled with being on my own.”  He pressed closer to the augment to capture all that warmth against his back.  “It’s funny, you almost have a way of looking on the bright side of our time here.  Is that an adaptive mechanism?”

Khan found that this made him chuckle. His left hand slid over Jim's side and rested comfortably on his hip, simply holding his human companion from behind. "It is practical to see the assets. Negative thinking is very destructive when captured, imprisoned, or tortured. It lessens the will to live."

Jim found he liked the chuckle very much and turned his neck enough to look at Khan for a second with a flash of a grin.  “Don’t think that applies to me, but I’ve never been much for following the normal path.  Guess that’s why I’m always getting into trouble.  But it’s also why I’ve gotten to do so many different things, too.  And people.”  He grinned to himself, this time, and munched more on the disgusting bar.  

"Indeed." Khan said with a soft, but warm huff of breath. Shifting his shoulders from side to side, Khan found a comfortable position so that he could rest his head against the back of Jim's shoulder.

Jim finished the bar and tossed the wrapper into the pile, before relaxing completely into the furs.  “Night, Khan.  Let’s hope tomorrow is as good a day as one gets around here, huh?”

"Yes, Jim." Khan answered, eyes closed, but not yet sleeping against the other man. 


	2. Chapter 2

The artificial light often made the walls of ice look yellow. Though some patches of ice were definitely more yellow than others, or brown, or red. These corners of the prison were foul, as were the creatures that inhabited them. But even here, in these dark corners, Khan had to show his power. Walking with Jim a step ahead of him, Khan kept his hand on the back of Jim's neck like a leash and collar, putting him on display, and yet, growling and challenging anyone who would even look up or glance at what was his.

Jim resisted the urge to snarl himself at both his current position and the coveting eyes he felt on him.  Khan’s hand was less of the irritation it had been in the past, however, somehow more comforting than upsetting now.  The revised terms of their agreement eased some of the strain of being put in this viciously preposterous situation.  He eased into the mine elevator which would take them to their work area for the day and placed himself in a corner, where Khan could stand guard in front of him.  As the augment did so, he secretly reached up and rubbed his spine in gentle thanks.

There were far too many bodies, heavy layers of clothing, furs, and leather wraps for anyone to notice the small gesture. But Khan enjoyed this small, secret touch. His back straightened and he moved back, keeping Jim tightly protected in the corner as the elevator began to fill. Then as they began to descend, the augment listened and watched the others, even though they knew well not to make eye contact with the man.

When they reached the level they would be assigned to for the day, Khan and Jim were issued their tools and sent further down the narrow caverns. The lamps were few here, issued for every hundred meters or so, and the ones that were broken, were not attended to or replaced. So many pathways were dark. But even with these minimal light sources, Khan could find his way, and led Jim forward.

Jim squinted in the half-light and muttered, “It’s a good thing I’m not claustrophobic.  You’d think they’d want us to see the ore we’re supposed to be mining for.  Shit.”  He stuck close to the augment, glad that they could sneak off into the depths and leave most of the others behind.  It was not quite as cold in the mines, but the stench of sweat, blood and decay took some getting used to.  Jim was glad for the scarf around his face.  “Have a place you want to set-up?” he asked Khan in a low tone, easing away from one of the Klingon guards as they passed him.

"Yes, I have a spot in mind." Khan said as they navigated the mine. A few minutes later they reached a section which had been well picked over. Except that Khan had set up a new claim to it, on an upper ledge where there was still more ore to be found, if they knew how to look. This pocket was a dead-end section of the mine that could not been dug out further, but it was still lit and offered some privacy for the shift.

Dropping the tools, Khan climbed up on the ledge and removed his empty canteen and began to fill it with snow. There was a small draft that drifted into this pocket of the mine, providing fresh air, making the environment a little more tolerable to smell. Climbing back down, Khan put the canteen down for it to melt, before grabbing the one from Jim to fill it up the same way. "I found this last week. When there was a cave-in down below, the ice shifted in this area and there is a crack that leads all the way to the surface. The air is good here. It will make it easier on your lungs."

Jim inhaled deeply of the fresh air and shivered a little at its chill.  The lack of stench made it more than pleasant, however.  “You are a marvel,” he said quietly and settled all of his tools down.  He picked up one of the pickaxes and stared at it a moment.  “What I wouldn’t give for a Horta right now,” he muttered and then went to work on the new seam of ore.  “Or any kind of technology.  At least we have antigrav carts to haul the ore back up.  Small mercies.”  He swung the pickaxe into the hard rock, pulling out pieces of ore.  After a few moments, he began to sing softly, “ _Some blues are just blues, mine are the miner’s blues.  My troubles are coming by threes and by twos_.”

"What- what?" Khan moved closer, looking over his shoulder to see what was so blue, then paused, trying to comprehend the fact that Jim was singing.

Jim glanced over at Khan to see what the augment might want, but did not stop singing, “ _Blues and more blues, got the coal-black blues.  Got coal in my hair.  Got coal in my shoes_.”  When he noted that Khan just seemed confused, he grinned into his scarf and went back to his work.  “ _These blues are soul blues; they are the coal-black blues.  For my flesh will cave in and my life I will lose_.”  He used the timing of the words to power his strikes.  “ _You say they are blues, these old miner’s blues.  Now I must help sharpen these picks that I use_.”

The augment however could not get over this. His head shifted from center, to one side like an owl picking up on a new sound. His eyes remained on Jim, unblinking as he picked his finger over the scarf across Jim's face to watch his lips for a moment. "What ..." He paused, then stood back. "Are you happy? I don't understand."

Jim chuckled and said, “I’m surprised you don’t know the song, or at least the tradition.  We’re not the first poor souls who’ve had to toil away in deep, dark mines.  In order to keep up their spirits, they wrote songs about their work to sing both in the mines and outside of them.  Sailors did it even more.  Helps time the rhythm of your work and keep you from getting too dark.  Since you’re here to protect me today, I don’t have to keep silent and focus all of my senses on anyone sneaking up on me.  So, I decided to indulge a little and sing to help keep in time and not dwell today.”

"I am unfamiliar with the tradition." Khan said, he gave Jim one last curious look, then carefully put the scarf back over his lips and nose. "Continue, if you wish. But there is also no need for you to strain yourself. What I pull from the rock will fill the quota expected for us both. You may rest, and get more sleep if you need it." He said, moving back to the high ledge to dig through the mix of ice and rock.

Jim straightened from his work and looked at him for a long moment, eyes a bit warm in their regard.  “I don’t want you to have to do everything,” he said.  “I’m used to trying to pull my own weight, but I admit, I don’t mind taking it a bit easier today.  No way they let us work together too many days in a row.  And I could use the extra energy for the days you can’t be there.”  He blew out a long breath into his scarf.  “So, can you carry a tune, Khan?  Did you get good vocals to go with the rest of your enhancements?”

"No. I do not sing." Khan said simply, wedging his back up against the wall, somehow standing on the edge with one foot as easily as a mountain goat might do. He kept one hand against the wall to brace himself, while he began to chisel at the ice, breaking it apart, striking out small sections at a time to access the rock within.

“Spoilsport,” Jim said and lazily lobbed a piece of rock at him, aiming for his ass.  He returned to working the rock again.  “You should try it sometime.  There’s a lot of fun to be had in it, really.  And it’s not something that can be taken from you easily.”  And with a great deal of irony, he sang, “ _Without a song, the day would never end.  Without a song, the road would never bend.  When things go wrong, a man ain’t got a friend without a song._ ”  He noted the easy way Khan stood on the ledge with a mixture of worry and envy, curled through with a lick of heat.

Khan frowned slightly at the attempt to strike him with a rock, but did not take the threat seriously. "I shall leave the singing to you." Khan said as he continued to work. Though whenever the crack to the surface got plugged up with too much snow, Khan reached in and knocked some of it free so that the fresh air would flow again.

Jim took a break about two hours in and fetched their canteens.  “Want some water?” he asked Khan.  “There ought to be some in here.”  He took a sip and made a face.  “Fuckingfuckcold.  Fuck.”  His teeth felt like they might fall out of his head from the frigid blast.  “I really want some coffee.  Even that awful stuff the older Spock made me would be welcome right now.”

"Who?" Khan prompted for more information as he let himself drop down from the ledge. There were already a few nice chunks of rock on the floor now, split open with the desired ore inside, not in any great quantity, but enough. Khan took his canteen and drank the water with a refreshed sigh.

“Marcus told you about Nero and all that crap?  Or you learned about it anyway?” Jim asked, not knowing how he could possibly explain otherwise.  His mentioning the older Vulcan made him wonder if that Spock worried about him.  For all that he promised not to interfere, he could be a meddler when he so chose.  And his backing, along with the rest of the Vulcans, was one of the reasons he thought they could beat Section 31.  They were few in number now, but they were still powerful and their voices counted for a lot.

"I am aware of the Romulan named Nero, and his crew, who traveled between one universe and another. I am familiar with their vessel, and technology, more so." Khan said as he took a seat to rest his back and legs for a few minutes.

Jim filed that knowledge away for later use and said, “Well, the other piece of the picture is the Vulcan who came through at the same time- a version of Spock from the future that won’t be anymore, because of the destruction of Vulcan.  Seems he and the version of me that would have been had a very close relationship for all of that Jim Kirk’s life.  Anyway, he and I have become friends, too.  Though I don’t think we’ll be quite as close in this reality.”  He paused and snorted into the cold air.  “Talking about the changes in time is really weird.”

Khan listened and began to make connections as information began to fill itself in. "Were they lovers? The two from the other universe? Did the events unfold in such a way to prevent you from becoming as close to Spock in this reality, as you were meant to?" Khan asked with a severely concerned look.

“Seemingly,” Jim said.  “I mean, they weren’t lovers until late in life, I guess.  I was a bit of a cad until then.  Had a kid without even knowing it with Carol Marcus ... if you can believe that.  Got together with Spock after he was resurrected ... it’s all very confusing.  He doesn’t even know I know all that ... he probably suspects ... it was like a backwash when he melded with me.  I got all of these memories that weren’t really mine.”  He would have scratched at his head, if he hadn’t been in more layers than a burrito.  “Anyway, he’s taken a more paternal interest in me since the whole crazy Nero thing.  And my Spock is determined that he’s not going to let the other Spock dictate to him what he’s going to do ... as if anyone could.  He’s more of a mule than you are.”

"I see." Khan said gently. He took another drink of water as a thought twisted in his brain. "Perhaps when we leave this place, you would consider introducing me to the older Spock? I would like to know if they would be willing to make room for 72 highly intelligent refugees on New Vulcan."

Jim glanced at Khan again and nodded once slowly.  “I think that might be an ideal solution,” he said.  “If you think your folks can stand to live amidst such stoically logical people.  I guess I can so of see you doing it ... except that your more feral tendencies are on the surface.  It’s part of what I like about you.  Makes you more accessible.  Old Spock is pretty awesome, too.  He’s mellowed out after years of interacting with humans.  He can totally make fun of my Spock without twitching a facial muscle.”

"If my crew is allowed to work, then they will adapt." Khan said, feeling that placing them on New Vulcan with another endangered species that valued science and logic would be ideal for them to live in safety. Then with a wolfish smile, Khan moved to all fours and approached Jim, "You find me, accessible?" He teased, playfully bearing his teeth as he spoke.  

Jim slanted a look at him and said, “More so than most Vulcans, anyway.  Don’t fret, Khan, you’ve got your own air of mysterious smugness hanging about you.  I’m sure I’ll never really know you unless you deign to allow it.  You’re not like me in just being yourself.  Everything is a layer under a layer ... like an onion.”  He curled a smile at Khan.  “Right now, you don’t smell as good, though.”

Khan huffed at Jim at this news. But without a word, the augment then stood and proceeded to strip down his layers, until he was in nothing but his boots. Then grabbing several handfuls of snow, Khan began to scrub his body with the cold water, letting it melt in his hand as it washed away grit from the mines and the prison. He kept his back to Jim as he did this, growling and mumbling to himself as he washed his body.

Jim gaped for a moment because ‘nicely built’ did not begin to describe the miles of body now exposed to him.  But then he laughed, as much at the grumpy noises Khan made as at the fact that his own teasing comment had propelled the augment to strip and take a snow bath.  In that same moment, he pushed up to his feet and cautiously approached the other man.  

“You’re fucking crazy to be bathing in the freezing snow,” Jim said.  “I was only teasing you, Khan.  We all smell bad around here.  You much less than most people.”  He ogled the fine ass, keeping himself just out of direct hitting range.  “Uh, I’d be glad to help you get your back, though.“

"Hygiene is important." Khan said in his defense, looking down at himself as he scrubbed across his chest and under his arms. His neck, then arched and he turned his head to the side to catch sight of Jim. "Yes. If you are willing."

Jim murmured, “More than,” under his breath and stepped forward to touch Khan’s back once.  He wished he could use his bare hands, but getting them that cold would make them unbearable for the rest of the day.  So, he left his mostly waterproof gloves on as he scooped up snow and gently cleaned the more difficult areas of Khan’s back.  “What must you think of me, than, if you’re so caught up in hygiene?  I’m not exactly a rose right now.”  He worried his lower lip, even as he smoothed snow over Khan’s spine.  “Maybe we could use the communal bath?  I don’t really mind being leered at, as long as you’re there to keep the hands to a minimum.”

Khan slowly arched his back under the touch of cold snow down his spine. But it felt good in a way that was impossible to explain, when the temperatures were so deadly to everyone else. "Of course. I will not let anyone touch you."

“Tonight, then?” Jim asked, eager to be clean again.  “There’s some soap in the last bunch of supplies you snagged.  I’ve been wondering if we might be able to put it to good use.”  He slid one of his hands over the slight curve of Khan’s ass, before pulling back again.  “You’re good in back.  Get dressed before even your augmented hide freezes ... or some guard catches us.”  He risked a quick kiss to the back of Khan’s neck and moved away.  “Also, you’re cute when you grumble.”

"Tonight, then." Khan agreed as he pulled his clothing back on, fastening up buttons and ties to secure the different layers in place. He was not quite sure what to make of the kiss, nor the lingering touch to his backside. Other then that it felt like a statement of their familiarity, which was not a bad thing, it was simply not something that Khan was yet accustomed to under their evolved agreement.  "We can use the soap to wash ourselves, and any clothing that is too ripe to wear."

“Don’t suppose your recent haul included any new clothes,” Jim said with a hint of plaintiveness.  “Everything I have is ripe.  How are we going to dry them, though?  Take a hundred years in the cold.”  He regretted not being able to admire Khan’s form anymore, but lingered near the other man for the moment.  Khan’s allowance of his touches emboldened him to see what else the augment might tolerate.

"No new clothes, but a pair of boots. They will be large on you, but if we wrap your feet enough times, it will fit, and keep you warm when we must begin our walk." Khan said as he turned to face Jim properly. "I suggest we wash the layers that we wear closest to our skin, and tonight we will make a fire to dry them. Is that agreeable to you?"

“Probably as good as we can manage here,” Jim said.  “And you can keep me warm tonight while our small clothes dry.”  He playfully used the old-fashioned term to see if Khan recognized it.  “Now, I’m looking forward to tonight, even if there will be a lot of leering and unpleasant remarks.”

With a tilt of his head, Khan almost appeared to smile, very delicately, because it was gone again the moment he spoke. "Do not look at them. Do not listen to them. Look at me instead. Listen, to me." Khan said moving closer, half whispering against the side of Jim's face. "I will keep you warm. And I will keep you safe."

Jim turned his face toward Khan and let the covering over his mouth delicately rub against the augment’s cheek.  “Even from scorn?” he asked softly.  “That’s a lot to promise, Khan.  I’m going to hold you to it, though.”  He bumped his forehead against Khan’s and sighed.  “Back to work?  I could use a bit of movement to warm up again, and I don’t see how you’re not freezing.”

"What do you care of their scorn and contempt? They are nothing." Khan said and took Jim by the hand, removing his gloves briefly and held his bare hand. Though the augment had just given himself a snow bath, his skin was quite warm, and he used that heat to rub Jim's fingers between both his hands.

“Fuck, you’re already warmed up,” Jim murmured, liking the sensation a great deal.  “Cheater.”  He leaned into Khan and asked, “And me?  Am I more than nothing now to you?”  His fingers wiggled gently between the hands that encased them.  

"Do not forget yourself. You are a Starfleet Captain." Khan said with some confusion. "You are not, nothing." Khan bowed his head and began to blow hot air into the pocket of their fingers. "How does that feel?"

“Here, that doesn’t matter,” Jim said.  “What matters here is that you’re more than nothing to someone else.  We have each other, right?”  He made a soft noise of pleasure at the warmth of Khan’s breath.

"Yes, we have each other." Khan said, working his finger and thumb over the pads of Jim's fingers to keep the blood circulating. When he felt that they were in good shape, he helped Jim put back on his gloves and secure the wrappings around his wrist and arms.

Jim wriggled his fingers about a bit in their wrappings and said, “Thank you, Khan,” before picking up his tool to start working the ore again.  He worked for about fifteen minutes of total concentration before asking, “How do you feel, Khan?  I mean ... how are you holding up?  You’ve been here a lot longer than me and that’s on top of all the crap Marcus and Section 31 put you through.”

The question startled Khan from his work. Not that he had to work very hard, but he liked to. It was in his nature. Slacking off, because he could, was not something he could bring himself to do. "How do I feel?" Khan repeated back the question, digging his pick into the ice to hold his place. "I do not know how to answer you."

“Really?  I mean, aren’t you like raging angry at Marcus and his ilk for what they did to you and threatened to do to your people?  Haven’t you been maybe a little lonely and lost since you realized the truth about everything?”  Jim brought his pickaxe down with a loud clang against the rocks.  “Aren’t you maybe just a little relieved to have an ally?”

Khan listened to this curiously, seeing how Jim viewed him, or had managed to read him. "Yes, there is truth is your words." Khan said, regarding Jim a moment longer before adding. "But my rage, and my isolation are apart of me, as unconscious as taking breath. I do not think about them, they simply ... are." Khan then stepped down from his ledge a moment. "Or is that what you wish to hear? Should I articulate the schemes of revenge that drift through my head every day? Or describe the insanity that I have been pushed to?"

Jim looked at him a moment, before setting aside his axe and moving to the augment’s side.  He placed a hand on his chest and looked into those strange ice eyes with his own steady gaze.  “Nothing you’ve done with and for me has been insane, Khan.  And yeah, if it helps to let it out, than tell me about it.  Poison festers left unreleased.”

"These are not things I wish to talk about." Khan said with a growl to his voice, staring Jim down.

Jim refused to let the growl or the glare move him, saying in a level tone, “Don’t threaten me, Khan.  It’s not like I can force you to talk if you don’t want to.  I was offering you an ear, not trying to force you ... that’s part of what allies do for each other.”  He shrugged and backed off, the straightness of his back telling of his dislike for the response from the augment.  He picked up his pickaxe and went back to work in silence, though after a moment, he sung a low tune to himself, timing the strikes of his tool to the tune.

The augment had felt pushed, as the topic was a sensitive one. And like any wild animal with an injury, it made him extra vicious. He watched Jim with lingered suspicion and unease and returned to his ledge. He sat there for a bit, watching Jim work and sing to himself, before he turned his attention away, focusing his power on the rock and ice.

For Jim, the reaction reminded him of his gulf of ignorance about the other man, as well as on what thin ground he actually stood.  He’d been trying to build some trust between them and instead, he’d damaged it on both sides.  With a huff of anger at himself, he banged the pickaxe extra hard into the rock, where it vibrated in his hands.  Swearing, he released the tool, leaving it stuck in the wall, and moved to fetch himself some water and one of the protein bars.  Kneeling, he picked out the food from his pack and moved as far as possible that the ledge allowed from Khan to eat it.  It was another sign of the renewed unease he felt about the augment.  

Shit.  He really hated this place.  He’d had to fend for himself before and against just as bad of an odds, but his enemies there had just been trying to kill him.  Also, there had been places to escape to.  The same could not be said for Rura Penthe.  There was nowhere to hide in the frozen wasteland, and death was the best alternative for being captured by one of the stronger inmates here.  Also, Jim was built for human company, if not close, intimate relationships.  Being isolated from all friendly contact wore on him.  And he’d just gotten a stark reminder of Khan’s limits on their interactions.

The augment however was a true apex predator, who happened to take the shape and sound of a human being. And so despite looking like a human, and mimicking many human behaviours, and knowing many human languages, Khan was more animal then human. And so it was in this way, that sometimes Jim and Khan spoke very different languages and did not know how to communicate with one another at all.

Dislodging another small piece of rock, Khan let it fall to the ground, then was quick to follow, so that he could crack it open. Chiselling at the piece, Khan found that it eventually could be broken apart into two sections. One had trace amounts of the ore, while the other had a growth to it, a geode, that once split open revealed small red gems that looked like pomegranate seeds. "This will get us clothing and tinder, if traded with the right people." Khan said, flicking one of the pieces up towards Jim on the ledge.

Jim made an acknowledging grunt and picked up the geode, dropping it into Khan’s sack.  He returned to his work, quiet now except for the occasional bout of singing to lift his spirits and keep time.  He also dared to take some breaks, still trusting Khan’s ears to alert him to any approaching guards.  He was grateful that they were mostly left alone today, though he figured he’d be assigned far away from Khan tomorrow.  Probably somewhere with a lot of guards to deal with, too, just to even out for their scarcity today.  

The hours dragged by in this fashion, especially since he didn’t have anyone to converse with, so he made up a conversation with Bones in his head, amusing himself with all of the complaints the doctor would have about Rura Penthe, its inmates, the food and the Klingons in general.  He knew the Southerner would have some choice words for him, too, when he finally got back to the safety of the Enterprise, and almost looked forward to them.  Not so much to the hours of treatment and therapy (mental and emotional, more than physical) that would follow.  

When the bell alerting inmates that they had exactly thirty-seven minutes (which seemed to be the Klingons version of a half hour) to return to the upper levels before the elevators were stopped for the night rang, Jim heaved a sigh of mixed relief and trepidation.  He’d almost been looking forward to the bath, but now, it just felt like another weight on his shoulders.  Still, clean would be nice.  He loaded his pack on his back and waited for Khan to take the lead with the antigrav cart, which was piled high with their load, the other ticket back to the upper levels for the night.

Filling his canteen with one more filling of the fresh snow to make for clean water later, Khan got the rest of his gear together and then lead the way back up the sometimes dark or poorly lit corridors. Khan sighed, then pushed forward. It seemed because he was unwilling to talk of wounding subjects, they would not be speaking at all. It felt like they were back to their old agreement once more. Nothing but the basics, the presentation of their roles.

So when their haul for the day was recorded and their tools returned, Khan moved into the elevator with Jim, once more keeping him backed into a corner, guarded, protected, coveted.

Jim remembered how in the morning he’d dared to reach out and thank Khan for the protection with a brush of his fingers, but now he questioned if that had even been welcome.  He reviewed the reaction at the time and concluded that there had been none either way.  At least it hadn’t seemed to offend the touchy man, but Jim kept his hands to himself now, silently cursing his pushy nature.  At least the sex could remain on fairer footing ... he hoped.  As the elevator came to a halt, he waited again for Khan’s lead to head back to their cell.  

As the other prisoners filed out, some with their head down, tired and beaten from the harsh conditions and the work, one collapsed on the ground a few paces ahead of them. The sight was not uncommon. Sometimes hunger killed the prisoners here, sometimes they killed each other, and sometimes, the life within a being simply left its vessel, giving up. Khan led Jim over the body and back to their shared rooms. Here, Khan hid parts of the geode in different places, then picked up the hard soap from his crate for them to use.

Jim grimaced at the collapsed prisoner, hating to see people, no matter their crimes, left to die that way.  He stepped over the fallen Andorian at Khan’s urging and kept his eyes to himself all the way back to their quarters.  As Khan hid his find and gathered some wash, he gathered their paltry extra clothes into a bundle for washing.  He also scrounged up some material approximating towels that they could dry with, though he was uncertain if Khan planned to bathe, given his snow bath.  Still, it always paid off to be ready for contingencies.  He moved to the opening to signal that he was ready whenever Khan was and again waited for the augment to take the lead.

"Keep close, when we reach the baths." Khan instructed, then led them down the hall once more. Though the public baths were there for everyone to use, sometimes it was safer not to, and hence, prisoners lived with their own stench for a long as possible. The baths were not a casual place to be, they were for hook-ups and making new alliances, or they were for long term inmates to wait for new arrivals, new prey. So Khan was not all that surprised to find the baths mostly empty. Only those with very good protection, or those willing to sacrifice dignity for clean skin and hair, were here.

So Khan found them a spot away from the others that lurked nearby. Jim was not there to be shared. They were their to bathe.

Jim heaved an internal sigh of relief that the baths were that quiet and removed his outer layers quickly, stripping down to his inner pants and socks.  He set-up a small distance from Khan, but definitely inside his protective radius (and taking care to keep close enough that the augment wouldn’t disapprove), and began to wash all of their clothes, as befit his stature in their ‘relationship.’  The dirt and grime and sweat poured off them into the drains as Jim worked, and he beat them after to get some of the water out to help them dry later.  When he finished that chore, he stripped out of his remaining two layers and just plunged into the warm water.

The baths were formed by natural springs from deep within the moon’s core, so the water was on the edge of too hot for a human’s skin.  Still, after being so fucking cold all the time, it was good to be warm from head-to-toe.  He allowed only his head to emerge and soaped himself up as quickly as possible.  It was tempting to linger in the heat, but more inmates could come at any time and the thought of all the activities that had taken place in the waters was unsavory.  Jim just wanted to get clean, dry and retreat to their cell.  But he wondered if they should play their parts here in any more physical way and glanced at Khan with inquiry in his eyes.

As Jim washed their clothes, Khan kept an eye on Jim, and the others in the room. He waited for Jim to be done before stripping down and joining him in the water. The augment let out a soft sigh of relief, letting the heat spread through his muscles, relaxing knots that had lingered for months. Using this opportunity for what it was, Khan then began to wash his face and neck, working his way down so that he might feel clean again.

The augment kept an eye on curious onlookers, and made sure to keep Jim within arms’ reach. "Good?" He asked Jim, floating closer.

“Yeah, it’s good to get to wash and clean the clothes, too,” Jim said.  “Thanks for letting me bathe.”  He kept his voice and eyes low, aware of their audience.  He didn’t read any other intent from Khan and moved to make the distance between them the same as it had been a moment before.  From there, he splashed his hair and tackled it as best he could with their inadequate supplies.  It was definitely longer than it had been in years, curling a bit at the back.  He reflected for a few brief seconds that it would be nice to get the damn regulation haircut again and snorted lightly at himself.  After washing out the soap suds, which took some struggle as the soap stuck to his scalp, he said to Khan, “I’m ready whenever you are, Sir.”  The last word was definitely spoken to be heard by a couple of Cardassians who’d just entered.  They spent more time here than most species, not at all equipped to handle the cold of the moon.  Most died in a few weeks of the stress on their systems.  But these were new inmates and their rage had yet to cool as it would with the exhausting struggle to survive.

Khan moved closer to Jim again, this time putting a hand on the rock edge of the bath, blocking Jim from one side as he looked at him. "It is warm here." Khan said, making sure he had Jim's attention. "I will protect you." He assured quietly. "You don't want to stay?"

Jim studied Khan’s face and considered if he wanted to stay.  On the plus side, it was warm and the water did ease the aches of their work.  On the minus side, there was no privacy, the baths were used for sex (much non-consensual) by other inmates, and he really was tired and wanted nothing more than to dry, eat and go to sleep (hopefully without any extra-curricular activities tonight).  

But Jim’s gut told him that Khan was attempting to be kind with this offer, trying to give Jim something he wanted.  An outright refusal might further erode the small remaining piece of goodwill they’d manage to develop last night.  Or that Jim thought they’d developed.  He found himself questioning everything after the afternoon’s interaction.  He’d been openly threatened by the augment, as if their agreement wasn’t worth much of anything.  Even his gut reactions, normally something he could put faith in didn’t seem very trustworthy when it came to Khan.  So, he found himself laced with doubt as to the intention of the offer.

There was, after all, also the possibility that Khan himself wanted to stay, but felt it was somehow weak to admit to.  He could always order them to stay, of course, but maybe even that would be revealing too much?  Who the Hell knew?  Certainly not Jim, and trying to figure it out was just giving him a headache.        

Oh hey, a safe out?

“No,” Jim said quietly, “thank you, Sir.  I’m not really feeling up to it.”  He rubbed at his temples at little in demonstration.  “If you don’t mind, Sir, I’d just like to go back to your quarters now that I’m clean.  Thank you.”

"Very well." Khan said gently and backed off now, no longer keeping Jim pinned between his arms. The augment was the first to get out of the water, though offered his hand to Jim to do the same. Before he started to dry off, feeling quite confident and secure that they would remain unchallenged. Dressing in the dry clothes, Khan waited for Jim to do the same, standing close at hand so that he would be left untouched.

Jim accepted the hand and marveled as always at the sheer strength of Khan.  From the outside, their builds were not that dissimilar, but Jim was outmatched in all ways by the other man in terms of strength, speed and stamina.  It was almost enough to make one wish for a few augmentations.  “Thank you, Sir,” he said as Khan released his hand.

Ignoring the few ‘admiring’ remarks thrown by some of the bath’s occupants, he dressed himself in the dry clothes and carefully bundled up all of the newly cleaned ones.  They were a bit of a heavy burden, weighed down by the water, but he stood strong under it and said, “I’ve got all of our things, Sir,” by way of letting Khan know he was ready to leave.

"Come along." Khan said, leading the way. Though it would have been practical for Khan to carry the heavy load, that would not have made sense for their roles in this place. So Khan allowed Jim to carry their clothes, as the two left the warmth of the baths. The chill was all the sharper in the air, after having enjoyed the heat of the water, but for a few minutes at least, it made their joints and muscles ache that much less.

As they returned to the room, Khan closed the curtain across the doorway and strung up a wire to hang their clothes from across the length of the small room. "Get into bed, conserve your heat." Khan suggested as he began to arrange rags and broken crates into a pile in the center of the room. It took a few tries, but eventually Khan set the scrap materials on fire, enough that it would dry the wet clothes during the night.

“Don’t suppose there’s any kind of painkillers in your stock?” Jim asked, as he undid the bundle of clothes.  He didn’t take Khan’s order for the moment, though the renewed cold was definitely unwelcome.  “Nothing too strong needed, but something would be welcome.”  He set all of the wet clothes near to the fire for Khan to lay out as he desired.  He dug out a couple of protein bars and also set one of those near the augment, should he want it.  For himself, he gnawed into the chewy texture as he waited for an answer.

"You are in pain?" Khan asked, having only hung up a few shirts before he stopped his work completely and looked to Jim. "Where? What is the nature of your injury?" Khan said with a frown, having not noticed anything earlier.

“Headache,” Jim said with a slight smile at Khan.  “Guess you probably don’t get those, huh?  Lots of things cause them, but I figure this is stress, minor dehydration and general tiredness.  So, nothing for you to notice, and I would have mentioned if I’d been hurt.”  He stressed the first ‘I’ rather a bit more than necessary.  “Anyway, something as simple as an old-fashioned pill will help.”

Pushing his fingers through his own hair, Khan considered their options a moment. "Yes, I may have something." Khan said, then pulled a crate out from under the bed. "It smells like liquorish, but if you rub it against your temples and the ride over your eyes, it will help with your headache." Khan said, handed Jim a container that looked like an old-fashioned toothpaste tube. The writing on it was in Ferengi, a was used for tension headaches for their species, but would still be suitable for Jim's needs.

Then using one of their cups with a scoop of ice in it, Khan held it over the fire for a moment so that it would not only melt, but also took the chill out of it. "And drink." He said, offering Jim the cup.

Jim took the tube and sniffed at the contents with a puzzled expression, wondering how the augment ended up with such an item and why he’d kept it.  Ferengis were not common (and were always short-lived) visitors to the moon’s prison.  “Thank you,” he said after a moment of considering the item.  He also accepted the cup with another quiet “Thanks” and used it to wash down the food.  “Sure you couldn’t use an extra hand with the wash?” he asked, figuring politeness couldn’t hurt him.

"You already helped. You did the wash. I am simply hanging it up." Khan answered, and after one more glance to Jim to ensure he would be alright, returned to doing just that. The clothing was discolored, and worn thin in some areas, but it was obviously cleaner then it had been, and would help the two men feel fresh for a time at least, too. He was hanging the last item of clothing when he finally spoke again. "You have been cold to me, since this afternoon," he said abruptly. "Have things changed?"

“As compared to what?” Jim asked and moved to a spot just outside of the fur pile that served as their bed.  “You made it clear you didn’t appreciate an attempt to be friendly.”  

He opened the tube and made a face at the scent.  “Oh, that’s strong.”  He put the cap back on and decided to just suffer the headache, setting the tube back in a crate.  He’d certainly survived much worse without treatment.  There was also the possibility that he’d be allergic to the stuff, and wouldn’t that be hilarious?

“The physical stuff is still good, though I’d prefer to skip it tonight, if we can.  I think we’re clear for a night … When we get out of here, I’ll still do my best to do right by you and your crew, and I hope you’ll still testify against Section 31.”  He toed off his boots and stripped out of the outer layers of clothing, before slipping into the furs.  “What do you mean by cold?” he asked once he was situated, that phrasing striking him as a bit funny, considering Khan’s demeanor.

Khan felt every inch of himself go on edge. Why was Jim promising to keep his promise?  He had already made his promise. Unless he had changed his mind. And then changed his mind again. "Never mind." Khan said, feeling it would be best if he pushed all thoughts of friendship from his mind. They would return to how it was before, cold, distant, with no genuine affection or comfort between them.

Finding the thought of going to bed now with Kirk very unwelcoming, Khan returned to the hiding spots he had placed the geode pieces and pulled them out. "I will be back, soon." He said, putting a few more items in his pockets for trade.

Jim watched Khan gather up the pieces of the geode and felt the last pieces of goodwill between them from the previous night trickle through his fingers.  He closed his eyes as a new wave of cold swept through him and curled himself into a ball under the furs.  “Yeah, fine.”


	3. Chapter 3

Jim huddled in a dark, dank corner, mercifully alone and unnoticed, and struggled not to give in to the tears that scalded his eyeballs.  The blood from his nose had finally stopped, and he had snapped it back into place, glad it had gone sideways, instead of backward.  His lips felt blown to about five times their normal size, and copper was all he could taste.  It was the perfect end to a perfect day, and he knew that if he didn’t get up in a moment and head for one of the elevators, he’d not make it back to the upper levels for the night.  But he found it a bit difficult to care.  He thought he could get some sleep in this corner and face everything again in the morning.  

As predicted, Jim got assigned far away from Khan the next day, but he viewed that with mingled relief and unease.  His sleep had been lacking again, as the headache had raged for a few hours before finally subsiding.  And the gulf between himself and Khan felt twice as wide as before, after the comfortable night he’d passed in the augment’s arms just the night before.  Finally, weariness pulled him into a fitful sleep, full of unpleasant dreams and ending with the shriek of the morning siren, far too early. He’d dragged himself up and into some clean inner layers, which was the only bright spot to the day, packed his bag and dutifully allowed Khan to ‘escort’ him to pick up their orders.

He’d been assigned machine duty, which meant working on one of the ore processors, while Khan got sent to the mines again.  The machines were indeed patrolled by multiple Klingon guards, and they’d been none too gentle with the former captain.  Still, it wasn’t them or the back-breaking work that’d really put this day into the ‘for shit’ column.

About an hour before the end of the work shift, two Klingon guards had knocked down a female Romulan.  In a flash, two male Romulans were on them, bashing in their thick skulls.  And once that happened, all Hell broke loose.  The level was sealed off, and a riot broke out among prisoners and guards.  

Worst thing was, in a way, it had been glorious.  Jim had just allowed the anger to overwhelm him and threw himself into the fray.  It was stupid.  It was reckless.  And it was all James Tiberius Kirk.  For the moments of the fight, he was nobody’s prisoner.  Nobody’s bitch.  Nobody’s man but his own.  

Perhaps in some few ways, his famous ‘Kirk luck’ still held, as he was swept into a side corridor toward the end of the struggles, which was then sealed off from the main floor.  His opponent down for the count and reeling from his own injuries and sheer exhaustion, he stumbled away, discovering to his surprise that he could get back to the upper levels this way.  But he hadn’t.  Instead, he’d staggered to a corner of the quiet room and just sat down.

And there he sat still.

As the alarms continued to go off, Klingon jackals were released on the prisoners, forcing most to flee back to their cells or surrender. But jackals and guards and doors were not obstacles that Khan was about to let get in his way. Forcing his way up from the depths of the mine, Khan began to grid-pattern search for Kirk. And certainly was not stopped by sealed off doors, as he forced them open by hand, or corrupted their wiring, depending upon which was easier.

After passing through another set of doors, Khan stopped only a few feet in, catching sight of Jim huddled up in the corner. He looked alive. And the augment was relieved to have found him. But his relief was short lived, as a jackal had caught Khan's scent and followed him through the open passageways. The augment turned instantly and growled deeply in warning to the animal, to back off. 

The jackal salivated and snarled at Khan, neither backing down, but continued to make strong eye contact, until the tension between them was too much.  The jackal leapt for Khan and the augment wedged his hand against the animal's throat so that she could not get close enough to bite his head off. 

Jim looked up at the first noise and closed his eyes at the sight of Khan, even as he put together the energy to stand.  But then a second presence joined the augment, this one completely unwelcome- one of the jackal-like creatures that the guards used to enforce the rules.  And as Jim stumbled to his feet, the augment and jackal flew at each other.

“Shit!” Jim yelled and propelled by a renewed surge of adrenaline raced toward the combat.  He stopped just outside of the wrestling pair, uncertain what to do given the speed and strength of both.  “What can I do?  Khan?”  he asked, wanting to be of some use to the other man.

But Khan couldn't answer as he perhaps wanted to. Instead he snarled at the jackal, every time the animal dug its claws into Khan's shoulder and thighs, trying to get traction. It took a great deal of effort, but Khan finally threw the animal off of him and then stood his ground again, his time standing in front of Jim, not wishing the animal to catch his scent as well. This moment of peace did not last long before the two were lunging at each other again, except that this time, Khan gave the jackal a swift hit to the head and roared at her. This dominance the jackal responded to and after peeing a little in place, tucked her head down and backed away.

Khan continued to hold his ground, even after the animal had backed off. Eventually he did turn to Jim, his breath hard for a moment as he looked Jim over. "Meant to ... rescue you." 

Jim smiled a little wanly at the other man and said with sincerity, “Thank you, Khan, for coming down here after me.  Think we can get back to our quarters safely now?  I need to pass out.”  His injured nose made his speech rather ridiculous.      

With his hand extended, Khan made the offer. "Can you walk?" he asked, wanting to give Jim more of his attention, but not feeling that this was a secure enough place to do so. 

Jim nodded wearily and said, “Think I can make it.”  He didn’t consider, but took the offered hand with one of his own and began to move forward.  “I didn’t even do anything,” he said.  “Romulans started it.  Well, fucking Klingon guards started it first.  And then bam! Everybody went crazy.  Me, too.”  He chuckled morosely at that, admitting his part in the riots.  “Fucking hate this place.”

"I know-" Khan said in agreement. "I know," he repeated quietly, holding Jim by the hand as they headed up to the unaffected areas. "I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get to you in time," Khan admitted, checking that certain hallways were clear before headed down them, bringing them closer to the privacy of their room. 

“Was a mess,” Jim said with a low sigh.  “But I’ve been fighting since I was ten, and that was just a bar brawl on steroids …” He chuckled without mirth again.  “I coulda used you, though.  Some of those Klingons fight dirty.  My nose is a wreck.”  He paused for another moment.  “If you don’t get there next time or something happens ... there’s a viridum chip in my right shoulder.  Dig it out, and the Enterprise can find you that way.”

"Stop speaking like that," Khan said fiercely, turning on Jim instantly. "You are leaving this place. Understand me?" Though his tone was intense, there was passionate feeling behind the words. He was not going to leave Jim to die here, alone, or in some horrific way. He cared. And he was driven.

Khan swiftly returned them to their room and drew the curtain over the doorway, but also put a few boxes and metal plates up as an additional barricade, should the rest of the prison be put on lockdown. 

Jim blinked, a bit stunned by the vehement response, and it took the whole trip back to recall himself.  Also, he was stumbling as they moved along and collapsed in a grateful heap on their furs once they did.  His whole face pounded with pain, radiating mostly from his nose.  He allowed himself to slump sideways on the softness and shut his eyes, content to just be done for now.  But Khan’s words deserved some answer, so he said, “I want to make sure you get off here, that’s all.  No matter what.  You deserve at least that much.”  He sighed and curled himself into a ball.  “Fuck.  Think I can call in sick tomorrow?”

“You work for food rations, and I have enough to share.” Khan said, throwing another blanket over Jim for the moment. “I will stay here with you tomorrow to ensure that no one bothers you.” Khan then moved to his knees and began to use ice and a rag to clean blood and grit from the deep punctures the jackal’s claws had managed to leave behind on his shoulder.

Jim noticed Khan’s actions and struggled to sit up a little.  “Are you alright?” he asked.  “You’re all torn up, too.  That thing didn’t do all of that, did it?”  He reached out for the augment to brush his fingertips lightly over his side.  “Guess I’m lucky this hasn’t happened before while I’ve been here.  There been other riots while you’ve been here?”

"The jackals are much more worthy adversaries then any prisoner here." Khan said, pinching the skin as he forced a small area to puss. "The females are territorial and much larger than the males. They do not give up ground without a fight." Khan looked over at Jim, head tilted to one side. "Would you like ice for your nose?"

Jim nodded slowly and said, “Yeah, that’s a good idea.  Please.”  He managed to haul himself into a full upright position, legs crossed, and draped the furs around him.  “Bones’ll give me Hell when he sees what I’ve done to myself.”  He watched Khan treat his injuries with a little frown.  “I’m glad you heal so fast.”

Covering a hand over his lower stomach to support the tender area he had not yet cleaned, Khan stood and gave Jim a slight nod. Going to the opposite side of the room, Khan used one hand to chisel out a few small ice chunks, then wrapped them in a cloth so that there was a buffer for Jim, between his skin and the ice. "Here, alternate resting it against each side of your nose." Khan said as he handed over what was now an ice pack. "I will lay in bed with you and keep you warm, as soon as I stop bleeding." Khan said, moving to his knees once more so that he could finish cleaning the area over his stomach the jackal had scratched up while trying to get traction in the fight. 

“You didn’t kill her,” Jim observed quietly, taking the ice gingerly.  He laid it against one side of his face and instantly shivered from head to foot at the cold.  “You could have killed her, but you just made her back off.  You showed the jackal mercy.”  His shoulders drooped tiredly as he kept himself up.  “I don’t understand you at all.”

Khan pulled his head up for a moment, no longer giving his wounds attention, but Jim his entire focus. He had done something that Jim did not understand? It seemed so strange to Khan, as it truly had not occurred to the augment to kill the jackal. To him it was obvious. But this was more a matter of why they had yet to truly understand one another. "Humanoids- Cardassians, Romulans, Klingons, Nausicaans ... they all hold grudges if they are defeated. Killing them guarantees that they will not come for a fight again, and that others, who are witness, are warned not to fight unless they wish to risk death. Is it not similar in nature? The more colorful and intricate the animal's markings, the more poisonous they are? But my ... toxicity is not as obvious, so I let dead bodies be my warning. But with the jackal, we speak the same language, now that she has experienced defeat from me once, she will not challenge me again. There is no need to kill her."

“That is ... well, that’s kind of terrifying,” Jim said after a moment of pondering the words.  “You’re not wrong about the grudge thing, especially not in a place like this, but toxicity?  Colorful markings?  That’s not the way humans usually think of themselves.”  He blinked his eyes slowly at the augment as he moved the ice pack to the other side of his nose.  “Glad you didn’t kill the jackal if you didn’t have to, though.  There’s been enough death around here, especially today.”

He studied the augment for a moment, before venturing quietly, “Why did you growl at me then?  I was trying to do a nice thing.  Maybe I was clumsy.  It’s not like I’m good at it.  But you just- well, you threatened me.  Like everything we’d talked about wasn’t worth anything.”

Cleaning himself up to his own satisfaction, Khan removed the bloody shirt and put on another one instead. "I rarely think of myself in human terms. But I shall attempt to do so, if that will make communication between us easier," Khan said with a sigh, he too regarded Jim for a moment, before bringing himself to answer. "There is pain in answering those questions. I felt threatened as well, that you would ask me things that cause pain. Growling was not a conscious decision, but it was a warning. It was my way of asking you to back off, to not push me in this area."

“You don’t think of yourself in human terms?” Jim asked.  “Oh.  Huh.  What do you think of yourself in term of then?”  He’d been trained in cultural sensitivity for all species, not that he was always great at it, but honestly, even though he was augmented, the idea that Khan was not human had not occurred to him.  

Still-

“And I did back off.  I gave you space.  And the next thing I know, you’re demanding to know why I’m acting so cold.  What do you want from me?”

"I am engineered. I am made by mankind. But I have never felt human. I have more in common with dogs that have been selectively bred for work or war ... I have more in common with tigers bred with lions, just to see if it could be done." Augment was the only name given to what he was, it was a name given to him, like his other names. It held no real sense of self for him, except that he knew what he wasn't.

"Have you ever had a pet?" Khan asked, trying to find some common ground. 

“Nope,” Jim said with just a hint of age-old bitterness definitely not directed at Khan.  His lips quirked a little at the edges, as he thought about where that question might be going.  “So, you think of yourself more in terms of an animal than man.  Huh.  Well- not sure what that means really.”

"That is unfortunate. I shall give you an example and hope that you understand it, even without prior, first hand context." Khan said, trying to bridge this gap between them, while Jim appeared agreeable to it. "Let us say, you have a pet. And you leave them in your home all day while you are away at work. In that time, they break something ... so when you come home, while they are happy to see you return, you are angry with them. But they do not understand why you are angry. All they know is that you have come home, and you are angry with them. In time, they will learn to fear you coming home, they will hide, and no longer come to greet you ... this is an example, of how an animal thinks. When you stopped speaking to me, I did not understand the reason for it, except for the notion that you were angry, and I did not know why."

“Alright.  I’ll concede the thinking and reacting more like an animal part,” Jim said, “and that I’m not going to have an easy time understanding that.  But don’t give me that you didn’t understand my reaction.  Animals growl to tell other animals to back off.  You did that to me.  A very clear signal even this dumb-ass little human could understand.”  He took a few breaths to calm down a flare of anger and pressed the ice a little into his nose to use the pain as a distraction.  “Shit, fuck, ow,” he muttered under his breath and then continued in a more even tone.  “You were angry with me.  So, in this scenario ... I become the pet.  Awesome.  Knew that was coming.”  But that last sentence came out with humor, not anger.

"The opposite," Khan said, barely containing the urge to pin Jim down and make him understand. "You were kind and familiar with me all day, until then. You withheld your affection and you refused to speak to me ... you hurt me, Jim," Khan said, for the first time using the man's given name as he admitted this truth. "Moments earlier, you were saying all we had was each other in here, and then you took that away."

“Well, shit,” Jim mumbled, wondering how everything became his fault.  But he understood the importance of having Khan admit something like that to him and tried to find the right response to it.  “I’m sorry for hurting you, Khan,” he said.  “I was honestly trying to offer you something more, something that’s important to a lot of people ... someone to talk to.  But I guess you didn’t understand it that way.”

He paused and straightened even more, despite the pain, because what he had to say next was also important.  He just hoped the augment understood.  “But this isn’t all on me, Khan.  You hurt me, too.  You threatened me.  I’m really sick and tired of being threatened.  I’m supposed to trust that you’re the one person here who won’t hurt me ... but I didn’t really feel that way.  I felt like if I said the wrong thing ... say the wrong thing, you might lash out at me.  It’s hard to be familiar with someone that way.  Or affectionate.  What if you read it as a threat?  A taunt?  A challenge?  Fuck knows what?”

"I growled at you, so that you would back off from pushing my buttons. Not back off, forever," Khan said, then turned his eyes to the floor, deciding they would have another fire tonight, even if it did use up their tinder. Giving his hands something to do, Khan began to build another fire for them, providing some warmth to the room in case they were not to share the bed with one another as they had been. "It was not meant as a threat, I do not want you to be afraid of me ... though I see it in your eyes, anyway." 

Jim shifted the ice pack again with a hiss and said, “Well, when someone so much stronger and faster than me snarls in my face and glares at me with cold eyes, I feel threatened and scared.  So, I gave you space to make sure it didn’t happen again.”  He set the ice pack down and began to slowly climb out of his layers, grateful for the fire that Khan was starting.  His movements were slow and pained, but he knew he needed to check himself over to make sure there were no unpleasant surprises under all of his clothes.  

“So, will you tell me what you do want?” he asked, as he began to check over his torso.  “And what you don’t want.”  

Khan shook his head and kept his eyes down on the fire. "I have no wish to talk about it. But I have been alone for a very long time. Some days, I want to trust you, some days I feel it is a mistake." Khan pulled his head up, watching Jim check himself over. "I would like to lay in bed with you and sense that while you are angry with the world, you are not angry with me. I have done my best."

Jim sighed internally as Khan refused to even discuss it with him.  “Well, you wouldn’t be the first person who considered me a mistake,” he muttered tiredly and set aside his inner layers.  At least he didn’t seem to have anything worse than the broken nose, though he’d be black and blue all over for days.  He propped up some of the furs and sacks so he could sit up a little while he tried to get some sleep.  Picking back up the ice pack, he rested the cold over his whole face as he lay back.  “You’re welcome to share the bed you know, if you want.  It’s your bed after all.  Just nudge me if I snore.  My breathing may be fucked up tonight.”  

"Thank you." Khan said, moving to the bed now that he had been invited. He settled in the bed on his side, watching the small fire, the flames a comfort for more than their warmth, but for their color and unpredictable pattern. "I know that there is a lot about me, that makes me different," he said all of the sudden. "I am certain I have gotten worse over the years. I am difficult. And feel less connected to humanity every minute ... be patient with me, Captain. We will not have to be here much longer." 

Jim sighed through his mouth and reached out to gently touch Khan’s side.  “Will you do the same for me, then?” he asked.  “I’ll probably make more mistakes, and we do have at least another week stuck here.  Probably two.”  He left his hand resting near Khan, seeing if the augment would mind.  “Would be nice to have some more of your warmth.”

Turning over, so that Jim's hand slid automatically from his side to the front of his chest, Khan nodded once. "Yes ... shall we try again?" he proposed, and moved closer. Due to the way Jim was sitting up, Khan half laid across Jim's lap, and and half across his torso, pressing into him. "Will you be able to sleep like this?"

“Don’t know that I’m gonna be able to sleep at all,” Jim admitted.  “You sure you don’t have any painkillers besides that rub?  I think the only part of me that doesn’t hurt is my ... wait, no, that hurts, too.”  He moved his hand to gently thread into Khan’s hair.  “Were you worried about me?” he asked, hoping Khan would not mind the question, even if he chose not to answer.

"I have nothing else. But I can trade for painkillers tomorrow." Khan said, keeping the side of his head rested on Jim's chest. He sighed deeply before answering. "Yes, I was worried. I thought you might have been the focus of the riot. That I would not be able to get to you in time." 

“Thank you, Khan, for worrying about me,” Jim said, relaxing further into the pillows at the admission.  “I’ll remember that.”  He continued to run his fingers through the soft strands.  “This wasn’t my fault, though.  I want to point that out.”  He let out a low chuckle that ended in a groan.  “Not that it did me much good, to have not been the cause.”

"Not your fault." Khan repeated back, resting a hand on Jim's torso as the augment closed his eyes. He was tired, worn from work and fighting, but mostly worn from worry. He had not been able to protect his own crew the way he wanted. And was proving unable to protect a single man as he ought to, either. The stress of such anxiety was exhausting. He was becoming less and less a perfect being, every day. And within moments, Khan was drifting unconscious, without much warning. 

Jim realized that Khan had fallen asleep on him and figured that was the greatest sign of the augment’s trust.  He didn’t stop petting Khan’s hair, as various aches and pains ensured he didn’t get to sleep for a long time.


	4. Chapter 4

Khan Noonien Singh hadn't always been like this. At one time in human history, he had control over one fourth of the human population. He had been enlightened. Well read. Well spoken. Confident. Polite. Charismatic. A leader. But in recent years, all of those things slipped away from his memory. Barely a shadow of that man remained. The augment was a confused, wild animal. Dangerous and feral. He could not remember anything else, it was all he had left, these final, base instincts.

Keep moving. If they stopped, they were dead.

With a rope around his waist, and one around Jim, the augment lead the way through the wind and snow drifts, his sense of smell guiding him through the blinding snow, as far away from the prison entrance and mine as possible. The two were covered head to toe with every single piece of clothing Khan had managed to collect for them, every fur, every blanket, every empty food sac to cover their skin, so that they could survive the trek on the surface.

The riot alarms were far away now and no longer carried on the wind. No one would miss them, no one would notice, not for at least twenty hours.

Mostly healed from the wounds of the last riot, Jim did his best to keep up with Khan and not become another weight for the augment to bear, since he carried all of their supplies.  The layers alone added at least twenty pounds to his frame, and the steady slog made the freezing air burn in his lungs.  He desperately prayed to any deity that might exist in their crazy universe that the Enterprise waited above for them.

The last few weeks had not been easy, exactly, but he had learned a great deal more about his companion and protector.  First, the man was a fucking mess, much more so than his outward appearance let on.  Second, small things would make him upset and wary.  Third, Jim was safe in his company.  The augment would do many things in his anger, but hurting Jim wasn’t one of them.  Jim would have to betray him terribly before the augment would turn on him truly.  And Jim didn’t want to think about what that would do to Khan.

They’d planned their escape to the surface very carefully, and the first phase of the plan had gone perfectly.  The riot raging below would last hours and without reinforcements, there was no certainty the Klingons would even win.  Except that they could abandon everyone left here to die of cold and starvation.  But the pent-up fury of the inmates had been so easy to ignite.  A few carefully chosen words among the right ears.  Jim’s taunting of one into trying to beat him down, trying to being the operative words because Khan tore the guard apart like a piece of paper.  And then proceeded to do the same to other guards, while the inmates turned on them in a united wave that not even jackals and weapons could easily subdue.  

And in the mass chaos, they had escaped, with Khan easily avoiding the fray and using a little known shaft to climb to the top.  “How much further, Khan?” Jim asked, hating to waste breath, but fearing he would need a break soon.

Khan stood his ground in the deep snow that tried to build up against his feet in the wind. He looked back and shouted against the wind so that Jim could hear him. "There is a formation ahead! We can get out of this wind!" He said, then moved forward again, his deep footprints providing a path for Jim. The ice was blinding, but Khan could hear where the wind was being tunneled and directed down a cliff.

“Alright,” Jim said and followed close behind.  Each step was a difficulty, but he forced himself onward.  This was like being stranded on Delta Vega, sans snow creature, but with deadly, howling winds that felt even worse.  He leaned into their fury and made sure to place his feet where Khan’s had tread, which did make the way a bit easier.

It still took hard work and some time, but the second Khan led them behind an ice formation, the two could breathe almost freely. The wind was no longer digging into their back, or shards of ice trying to climb down their lungs. The wind howled forcefully on to the side of them, but under the protection of the concave glacier, the two could stop without being knocked over.

"There. Good-" Khan said, turning to face Jim and tying a second line to them both, clearly afraid that he would lose Jim in the snow. "Hold up your hands. Can you make a fist inside your gloves? Can you wiggle your fingers?"

Jim moved closer to Khan and wished he could lean on something for support.  The augment was strong, but he didn’t want to rely on his energy.  Even he might need all of his reserves.  The lack of wind was gratifying, though, and he allowed himself to pant more freely, sucking in slightly less frosty air.  At Khan’s command, he slowly lifted his arms and tested his hands.  They were definitely cold, but not unresponsive.  “They’re alright for now,” he said.

He looked back out at the storm and the roiling clouds that swirled above them in the sky.  “If this storm is electromagnetic, as a lot of them are, the Enterprise could be up there and unable to get a read on me, even with the patch.”  He stepped even closer.  “We need to be joined physically by more than just the ropes.  I don’t want them to beam me up without you.”

"This is a good spot to rest." Khan said, patting his gloved hands over Jim's back as he hugged him from the front. But he looked around and the length of the glacier for as far as he could see, but snow and wind obstructed it in other areas, so it was difficult to tell how large it was. "We will catch our breath, then follow this wall of ice for as long as we can. Perhaps by then the storm will have moved on." Khan placed a hand on top of Jim's head, keeping the hat he wore securely over his head and ears. "Right here with you, alright?"

Jim laughed a little at the gentle way Khan ensured he was bundled into all of his clothing.  Not that he didn’t appreciate it.  The temperature was well below anything suitable for life, and even in all his layers, he worried about how long he might survive.  He pressed into Khan and dared to nuzzle under his chin, which had become one of the ways he’d learned to communicate with the augment, a gentle acknowledgement of his place and his trust in Khan.  

“Yeah.  I’m alright for now.  How long do you think we can stay here?” he asked.

"A small rest." Khan said, not giving a time value to it. But he wrapped his arms around Jim in such a way that the extra folds of fabric that had been hanging over Khan's shoulders were now half draped over Jim, making for a slightly warmer pocket of shared space. "It is important that you hydrate."

Jim nodded and fetched a flask out of the pocket of his first inner layer.  He sipped at the water slowly and then offered some to Khan.  “You should drink some, too, Khan,” he said.  “Who knows how long this is going to last?”  He rested his head against Khan’s shoulder and stroked over his chest, as much as he could beneath an acre of layers.  “You sure we can’t stay here until the storm blows over?”

Khan nuzzled the top of Jim's head, even though it was covered with protective layers. He considered, with one more look to either side of them before answering. "Very well. We will move a little further in and take this refuge while we have it. I do not want us to still be in the storm when night falls." Khan said, urging Jim to move with him a little further along the wall of ice so that they would be well protected from the wind.

“Do you have cover in mind to reach before nightfall?” Jim asked, falling along with Khan.  “If you think we should move along, I’m good for it.  I don’t fancy still being on the surface when night falls, but if we have to be, I’d rather be somewhere as protected as possible.”  He pulled out one of his snack bars and chewed on it, as well.

"There are tunnels and caves of ice, still south of here, that would offer a great deal of protection ... but I will not risk having us walk over a cliff or fall into a crevasse in this storm. I have my bearings, but I cannot see. We will wait. If the storm improves and I feel we can still get there before dark, then we will go. If not, this will have to do." As they approached an area of the glacier that had a healthy overhang of ice and snow, Khan stopped them there, finding the almost-roof suitable for now. He dropped his pack and their supplies to one side, providing a small wall of objects for them to lean against that wasn't ice. "Sit here, and I will sit on the other side of you."

“If you can’t see, I have no chance,” Jim said and carefully removed the goggles that covered his eyes.  He eased himself on to the pile and made room for Khan.  “Come here?” he invited softly.  “At least here we won’t be disturbed here.”  He kept the cover on his face removed, too, and continued to sip at his water and eat his bar.

Between the two of them, Khan had made sure that Jim got the better gear. There was only the one pair of snow goggles to be found, so Khan wore a long scarf wrapped around his face several times, with two small sections cut out for him to see. And he _could_ see, if the weather were on their side, but as it was, the visibility was impossible. Pushing this scarf down his face, Khan took his own break to drink water as he sat next to Jim.

Jim wasted no time in snuggling up to Khan for warmth, though he frowned a little at the makeshift cover of his face.  “Shouldn’t you wear the goggles?” he asked.  “It’s not a big deal if I go snowblind, since I can’t see anything for shit anyway out here.  But your eyes ... we may have need of them.”  He drew a wrapped fur out of their packs to drape over their heads, so they could keep warmer even while they ate and drank.

"No. You need them more." Khan said, "There is truly nothing to see, even if I had the goggles. We need the storm to die down before we can move forward." Khan said, keeping his hands on Jim at all times, except for when he lifted the canteen to his lips to take another sip of water.

“Thought we’d never get out of that shaft,” Jim said, thinking about their escape route.  “And than I wished we could just hide right back inside it again once we did get out.  It’s fucking worse out here than it was in the coldest room inside.  When the Enterprise gets us off of here, I’m going to refuse to ever take another trip to a fucking frozen wasteland.  All tropical and desert planets from now on.”  He made an indignant noise in the back of his throat.

Khan chuckled slightly at this complaint and Jim's wishful thinking for future missions. "I doubt very much that you want to be stranded on a desert planet, either. At least here, we have water." Khan said and tucked the container back inside the folds of fabric for later.

“Don’t ruin my fantasies,” Jim said, smiling a little at having dragged a laugh out of Khan.  That was far rarer than anything else.  “I’m just forgetting what it is to be warm and cozy, except when I’m all wrapped in furs with you.”  He paused and frowned to himself a little.  “I think I’m going to miss that …”

"Yes-" Khan agreed quietly. He pressed his face close to Jim, to breathe warmly against his visible skin. "I have grown accustomed to your companionship." Khan said, taking a deep breath, then exhaling warmly against Jim once more. "But you will have your own bed, and may set the temperature of your rooms to your liking. And you won't need me for protection. You will be among your crew."

Jim reached up and lightly held Khan’s head against his own, wishing again that he didn’t need to gloves that kept him from touching Khan’s skin and hair.  “It hasn’t been so bad, these past weeks.  We’ve managed to work things out between us.  No matter what else, I want to try to be your friend, Khan.  Things will change now that we’re going to be on the Enterprise, but not that.  Not that part.”

"Thank you, Jim." Khan could not remember having a friend. Maybe he had? He couldn't remember what that was like. He couldn't remember wanting to see one person every day, talk to them, share with them. He couldn't remember what friends did.

Jim sighed and nodded, knowing that was the best he’d get from Khan.  No admission he wanted a friend or that he thought of Jim in the same way.  The words about companionship were the closest he’d get, and Jim understood that was a lot.  “I- I wouldn’t mind having sex with you for no purpose other than that, either,” he said.  “I think I’d like that a lot, actually.”

The augment pulled his head up at this new suggestion and looked at Jim closely. "After the poor experience I have given you ... you want to have sex, as friends? There is no one to perform for ... no arrangement ..." Khan struggled with this concept more than he should. "Is that allowed?"

“If I say yes ... and you say yes, then it’s allowed,” Jim assured him and pressed his mouth briefly to the augment’s.  “Just something for you to think about, Khan.  No pressure.  But- you’re generous in bed, and I’d like to know you as a lover without the rest of it.  Because we both want to be there.”  He smiled and scraped his teeth over Khan’s chin to try and soothe him.

"If I say yes, and you say yes-" Khan repeated, eyes lightly closing with pleasure as Jim kissed his chin in this way. In recent days, and weeks, Jim had shown a great deal of effort as he tried to communicate with the difficult and damaged augment in ways that he responded to. This kiss was a good example of that. "Yes, I say yes. I would like that, Jim."

Jim learned by trial and error what touches the augment enjoyed, as the man seldom told him outright.  There were subtle cues in his reactions, as well as more overt ones.  And what he liked best were gestures that showed affection, as well as subordination to Khan’s alpha status.  Some of them were quite foreign to Jim, like the bite to the chin area, but once he discovered them, he made sure to utilize them to help his communication with Khan.

“So, that’s settled then,” Jim said with a brilliant smile and another kiss.  “Something else to look forward to.”  He settled his head on Khan’s shoulder, mouth pressed up against his body, and closed his eyes for a few moments rest.  This was another show of trust in the other man, that he would be protected during vulnerable times.  It was difficult for Jim to show vulnerability to Khan, but he’d forced himself as another means of communication.

These gestures soothed the augment and helped to calm his wild brain. Plus, it was good to hear Jim make plans, talk about things he was looking forward to, rather then talk about what to do with his body if he didn't make it. Khan hugged his companion tight, keeping Jim pinned between himself and their supplies so that he would stay warm. Then pressing the small part of his face that was exposed, Khan allowed their cheeks to touch, cuddling Jim awkwardly, but warmly.

The position was not the most comfortable, but it was much more pleasant than being cold.  And the rasp of their bristles was rather enjoyable somehow, a sign that they really were in this together.  “Also, we’re going to both take long, hot showers and shave off these whiskers with something better than a knife.  Though ... I’ll miss having you shave me, too, I think.  That was kind of soothing.”  It had also been another gesture of how Khan owned Jim in the prison, as he lifted his throat and face to the sharp blade that Khan ran over them.

"You liked that?" Khan prompted with a soft hum, his lips brushing slightly against Jim's jaw in an almost-kiss. As Captain, Jim did not need to have Khan warm his bed or shave his face or be the one who scrounged up food for them ... but he still could be, if Jim allowed it. "Who shaves your aboard the Enterprise?" Khan asked, rubbing their cheeks together in the subtle sort of affection that was common for the augment when he was with Jim.

“Once I got over being ogled while you did it and nervous about the knife ... yeah, I did,” Jim admitted, moving his cheek in turn against Khan’s.  “It was hot to have your attention so focused on me, to feel the blade move so tenderly over my skin.  One slip and I could have been badly injured, but you never wavered.  And than you ran the back of your hand over my face to make sure it was smooth.  It felt nice ... kind.”  He held Khan a bit tighter.  “I’ve always just shaved myself before.  Seemed more like a chore than anything, but I’ve never cared for facial hair.”

"I enjoyed doing it. Not- because it was for show ..." Khan clarified, "I enjoyed being in a position where I could take care of you." Khan's head got a little squirrelly for a minute, but that was not uncommon these days. "I have failed so many people I was meant to take care of ... but for a few minutes, I was doing it right." Khan half growled slightly, but it was not directed at Jim. He turned his head slightly and grumbled again. "That was presumptuous. I should not have said that."

Jim recognized the signs of Khan’s unhappiness and gently ran his teeth under his chin again, physically letting him know that Jim was there and felt safe and protected by the stronger man.  “I didn’t hear anything presumptuous,” he said.  “You did help take care of me.  I wouldn’t have made it without you.”  That was only the truth, and Jim was not too proud to admit it.  “And with a little luck, you’ll have the rest of your family back soon to take care of, too.”

"Yes-" Perhaps. There wasn't room for doubts when it came to his crew, his people. If Khan did not show confidence with them, they would recognize that something was very wrong with their leader. "It has felt good to be useful again." Khan said with a little more of a clear head. "How do you feel?" He asked, changing the subject, putting the focus back on Jim.

“Better,” Jim said.  “I’m ready to move on, as soon as you feel the storm is let up enough for it.  Not that I’m anxious to leave this safe, warm spot with you.  But I’d like to be safer when darkness falls, too.”  He connected them by both hands, wrapping his around Khan’s and squeezing.  “Whatever else, I’m fucking glad to be out of that hellhole below.”

Khan nodded slightly. "Never again." He promised, giving Jim's hand a squeeze in return. He continued to hold Jim for a few minutes, watching the storm. It was nearly another twenty minutes before Khan decided that it was safe for them to move again. The ice in the wind had become snow instead, and would be much easier to tolerate as it fell. And though the wind was still present, it was not as strong, allowing the two to see more then three feet in front of them. Now they could see the outline of the mountain range and though there was a valley below, that was still obstructed heavy with cloud cover.

Getting up, Khan pulled the pack of supplies onto his back, then fixed the scarf around his face once more, while helping Jim cover himself again, so not an inch of skin was exposed to the elements. "Good?"

Jim nodded and said through all of the coverings, “Let’s do this thing.”  He held out his hand for Khan to take, reminding him that the physical connection would be necessary if the Enterprise locked on to him and beamed him away.  Their joined hands would make sure that Khan came with him.  Also, it would be a connection to the augment, another way to help keep them both grounded in the storm.  With his other hand, he dug in the hiking pole, which he used to help keep him moving forward.

It took the remaining daylight hours for Khan to lead them across the snow and ice to the ice cave shelter he had in mind. The snowstorm had slowed them down, but the two were motivated to survive, which helped a great deal. And that was also with Khan ensuring that they took breaks, standing behind every snow drift or ice shelf they came across, so that they could stop and drink water, rest, and take account of their digits for a few minutes.

As the landscape turned from piercing white, to grey and dusty blue, indicating nightfall was soon upon them, Khan led them down one last ridge and into an ice cave. Hollowed out by wind, and what had perhaps been a thermal venting point, millions of years ago, the natural caves provided great sanctuary. There was no wind to blow in their face or against their bodies, and because of that, it took some of the chill away of the frozen wasteland. But to be safe, Khan took Jim fairly deep into the cave, finding them a smooth area to lay down their supplies and rest for the night.

The hours of hiking through the blistering cold and knee deep snow had taken their toll on Jim.  He had powered his way on a combination of stubbornness and sheer will, even when every step felt too heavy to bear.  His lungs ached from the breathing in the frozen air, and he worried about his fingers and toes, which were beyond the point of pain, though they still moved at his command.  Still, if not for Khan’s hold on his hand and the frequent rest breaks, Jim wouldn’t have made it to the caves.

He stumbled to a halt when they reached their final destination for the night and stood swaying for a moment, eyes tight shut.  Finally, he slowly moved to help Khan lay out their supplies and arrange a spot to rest for the night.  The lack of wind helped him power through this one last exercise, though he wanted nothing more than to lay down.  “Think we can risk a fire?” he asked, dreaming of a little bit of warm food and crackling flames.  “Nobody can see us in here.”  He looked up at the ceiling.  “Though I think the Enterprise’s sensors can track us.”

"Yes. Certainly." Khan said, kneeling down on a thin blanket that wasn't useful enough to wear over their bodies, but was good to lay out on the ground to keep them from freezing to the ice floor. "Make a tent of furs over your body. I want you to move your feet up and down and scrunch your toes." Khan directed, pulling the tinder he brought with them to make a fire. Once it was arranged the way he wanted, Khan started the small fire and breathed easy at the source of light and heat before them.

Jim built up the tent of furs, making sure it was also large enough for Khan.  He carefully removed his boots and began the feet exercises, though he also worked to supple up his boots so he could get them back on later.  “Are we staying here until they beam us up or moving on tomorrow?” he asked, even as he tried to warm his frigid toes to something comfortable.  He laid out a bed of furs, using a layer of the oldest on the ground, before peeling off his outer layers and hanging them to dry at the top of their improvised shelter.  

"If the storm continues tomorrow, we will stay here. The next natural shelter is a full day hike, in good weather. There is no point in risking it, when this is a safe location." Khan said, pulling off his own outer layer that was damp from ice and snow, so that it would dry. Then he moved closer to Jim, checking him over for stiff joints. "Can you make a fist with your fingers?" Khan asked, gently squeezing his hands down the length of Jim's arms.

Jim slowly folded his hands into fists, glad his fingers were responsive.  “Yeah, the gloves just did keep my fingers warm enough.  What about you?  Are you alright?”  He reached out to lightly brush his hand over Khan’s cheeks and around his eyes, worried about the areas covered only by the makeshift scarf.  “You blocked off a lot of the wind from hitting me.”  He lowered his eyes in thanks and again, a recognition of the strength of the alpha male.

"You did very well, I know I pushed you." Khan said, tilting his head and gave Jim a small kiss on the side of his cheek. "And I am well, and warm enough to share-" Khan then opened up the front folds of his jackets and furs, wrapping them around Jim as Khan hugged the man from the front. "Take your gloves off and press them against my skin."

Jim snuggled close and wrestled out of his gloves, before carefully easing his layers apart until their bare chests were pressed together.  He slipped his hands between them to rest over Khan’s pectorals and sighed in contentment.  “May we lie together?” he asked and nuzzled into Khan’s neck.  He pressed a kiss there and then nibbled with a hint of play.

The initial touch of Jim's cold hands was a bit of a shock, but Khan's body adapted quickly, as it always did, radiating out heat for them both to share. "Certainly, Jim. I want to keep you warm, all night." Khan said, leaning into his human companion, kissing his neck in return. "How does that feel?"

“Much more comfortable than I have been all day,” Jim said and eased himself back into their pile of furs.  He reached around him to pull their covers around them.  “Think it’s safe to take off all of these clothes?  We should be warm enough together under all of these covers and with the fire, yeah?”  He really wanted to shed all the layers and feel the augment’s smooth skin press against him everywhere.  “Please.”

"We can try. I will go first." Khan said, not wanting to risk Jim freezing. So the augment began to undo his own layers, arranging them so that they spread out as additional blankets over their bodies, trapping his body heat. Once naked under the heavy furs and blankets, the augment purred softly, kissing Jim on the cheek again. "There now, not that much different from our cell. The air is still and the temperatures are tolerable." Except that they had more room here, and privacy.

“Oh good,” Jim said and wrestled himself out of all of the clothes, gratefully heaping them into their pile of covers.  And as soon as he was bare, he rolled right into Khan and just pressed against him as close as possible.  “Fuck.  You feel so good against me.”  He nestled his head under Khan’s chin and just closed his eyes for a few moments of peace.  “Be awesome if they beamed us up right now,” he said in an amused tone.

"Hmh." Khan grumbled something akin to amusement. "Yes? With my hands all over your body, kissing your skin-?" Khan suggested, doing so as he spoke. His fingertips slid up Jim's chest, moving in small circles to keep the blood circulating beneath his skin.

“And pressed together so closely,” Jim agreed and raised his head to smile at Khan, recognizing the rumble as one of good humor.  “This is the most comfortable I’ve felt since I was captured.  Thank you for that.”  He pressed his mouth tenderly to Khan’s and kissed him with a sweet gentleness, though he also skillfully invited the augment to push for more.

"I see." Khan hummed softly. All it took was privacy, a fire, and their bare bodies pressed together and Jim Kirk was comfortable. Khan moaned softly into Jim's mouth, sucking gently on his tongue as they kissed long and deep. The wet of his lips and the warmth of their shared breath arousing, and relaxing, after a difficult day.

Jim’s hands slipped from their place on Khan’s chest and up over his shoulders, one to rest on his upper back and the other to thread in his hair.  He tangled his tongue even more intensely with Khan’s, moaning low in his throat at the intimate struggle.  His legs spread to wrap around the augment’s trim waist, pressing their groins snugly together.  He broke off the kiss to pant lightly for air and tilted his head back to offer his neck for Khan’s attention.

“You feel amazing. How do you feel, warm enough?” Khan asked as he offered slow kisses to Jim's neck. licking and then sucking softly at his throat. “

“Getting warmer all of the time,” Jim said hoarsely and urged Khan’s mouth up to his pulsepoint.  “Feel how strong my heart beat is.  I’m well, Khan.  So well right now.”  He initiated another sharing of their mouths, reveling in the closeness.  His tongue welcomed Khan’s again, and he sucked at it eagerly this time, demonstrating his abilities in that area.  

"Beautiful.” Khan purred to have Jim's pulse on the edge of his lips. His hips rolled into Jim, wanting the heat and friction of their bodies.  

“Do you want me, Khan?” Jim asked softly.  “I want you.  And I brought something special to help.”  He reached out and rummaged through one of the pieces of layers that he’d kept close on purpose.  “Stole this from one of the Klingon guards,” he said, brandishing an unopened little tube of oil.  “Don’t even want to think what he planned to do with it, but I know what I want it for.”

"Yes, Jim.” Khan groaned against his throat, licking the skin, leaving warmth from his tongue in his wake. "I want to lose myself deep in your body tonight.” The augment stroked his left hand down Jim's arm until he found his hip under all the layers of fur and fabric. "Tell me what gives you pleasure. I want to satisfy your needs, after all this time, being unable to.”

“Hey, you did your best giving the conditions,” Jim said and wiggled into Khan’s hand.  “All kinds of things give me pleasure, but I want your fingers deep inside me first, getting that slick everywhere.  And then I want to be the one to anoint your cock, make it glisten and hard until you just have to be inside me.  Just push in, slow, until you can’t go any further ... and then let your instincts take over, Khan.  Show me how you want to claim me now that it’s just for yourself.”

Khan groaned deeply at these words, the rumble in his chest growing, until he was half panting against Jim's skin. It was very exciting to hear that Jim wanted to be taken like this. Claimed. Not because it was what others expected, but because it was something Jim genuinely wanted. “Yes, Jim. I would like that very much.” Khan palmed his hand to the inside of Jim's thigh and squeezed, eager.

Jim’s body responded to Khan’s eagerness as well, as if the augment’s feelings were being passed along to him.  He pressed the small vial into Khan’s right hand and said, “For us, Khan.  Nobody else.  Just us.”  His hips tilted a little in invitation to his fingers and more.  “Please.  Don’t make me wait, Khan.”

Opening the tube of oil, Khan spread it out over the palm of his hand and over each finger so that his skin and knuckles were not rough on Jim for once. Rubbing his hands together, Khan ensured that he would be offering Jim a warm touch before he reached down and began to finger the outside of his ass, petting the hole open and spreading the oil around to make things easier for his human companion.

Jim’s ass was definitely still a bit rough, but nowhere near as abraded as it had been.  Indeed, the gentle fingers and soothing oil felt quite nice against the skin and muscle.  “Yes, that’s good, Khan,” he said and wiggled against the touch.  And the more Khan’s fingers spread oil on him, the more he longed for the breach of his body by the digits.  “Please,” he repeated in an appealing tone, pitched to what he’d learned Khan liked to hear.

Leaning forward, Khan pressed his lips to Jim's mouth, sucking sweetly as a distraction while he pushed his middle finger inside. There he fingered him gently, using the pad of his finger to coax and stroke the delicate nerves and muscles from the inside. Khan moaned into Jim's mouth, his cock growing hard between their bodies, wanting to be next.

There was nothing distressing about these touches, and Jim’s body shuddered against Khan’s in response to the probing fingertip.  That one digit seemed to know exactly where and how to touch inside his body.  He moved restlessly into and away from the sensations, making low noises into Khan’s mouth.  The air around them warmed even more with their joint heat being caught under the blankets and magnified by the close, intimate contact.  “Another?” he asked when he finally got leave to take a breath.

“Yes-” Khan sucked and gently bit at Jim's lips. Pulling his finger out slightly so that only the tip was still in his body, Khan partnered up his first finger and pressed the both of them inside, slow but firm as they carefully breached the resistance.

The second finger was a little more trouble to take inside, but Jim’s body was used to taking more than just a pair of fingers.  And this was another pleasant stretch, something to ease his body into, instead of forcing him open all the way.  Khan’s mouth remained an enjoyable diversion as well, one Jim played with happily.  He flicked his tongue over the place where Khan had nipped him.  “Yes, this is good, Khan,” he murmured into their playful mouths.  “This is how it should be.”

"Yes?“ Khan smiled a little, looking down at Jim's lips, then shifting his gaze to the sharp blue of his eyes. “I want to please you, Jim. I want to feel and hear your genuine pleasure when I have truly earned it.” Khan stroked his fingers inside the warm walls of muscle, as if slowly beckoning the nerves to respond and come further alive.

Jim answered the smile with one of his own, warm and inviting, and nuzzled at his face, before lightly licking at his mouth.  This was a meaningful imitation of part of the mating ritual of a wolf, where the pair bonded with each other.  “You will, Khan,” he assured gently.  “You are.”  He rotated his hips slightly to help the fingers widen his passage.  “Spread them wide to prep me?”

Curling his fingers at the first joint so that they resembled two small hooks, Khan then worked at spreading his fingers inside of Jim's welcoming body. "Jim-” Khan groaned his name, but all other words were lost as the augment was eager for another deep and hungry kiss.

Jim opened his mouth to the deep thrust of Khan’s tongue and thought of how good the penetration of Khan’s cock would be, even deeper into his body.  He stroked the back of Khan’s head and his back with tender fingers.  He caressed the silky tresses, hoping Khan decided for long hair, even though he couldn’t wait to wear his own short again.  And the broad planes of Khan’s back were a joy to explore, all soft skin over hard muscle.  “Khan,” he wanted to say, but it was muffled by the kiss.  “Khan.  Khan.”

“Jim, will you prepare me now?” Khan asked as he gently sucked at Jim's lower lip. "Allow me to join with you. Make love to you I the way you desire, keep you warm and in my arms well into the night.”

Jim squirmed even more at the rumble of Khan’s voice, his choice of words.  “Yes.  Please.  Where’s that oil?”  The words came out a little garbled due to Khan’s continued attention to his mouth, but he reveled in that, too.  Reluctantly ceasing his attentions to Khan’s back, he fumbled through the furs and covers for the vial.  When he found it, he made a deeply pleased noise into Khan’s mouth.

Only his expertise in intimate situations allowed Jim to spread the oil neatly in his hand without spilling a drop.  But taking Khan’s erection in hand and coating him from head to base was a delight, especially since the length was warm, hard and grew even more under his touch.  “I want you inside of me, my Khan.”

It felt amazing to have Jim handle him with such care and attention. It was intimate and exciting just to be touched and know that Jim wanted to. Khan groaned and half whined with need, fingering him again and again, before finally withdrawing his fingers. "Jim. Say that again. Please.” Khan purred as he kissed Jim on  the neck, starting to get mouthy, licking and biting.

Oh, that whine hit Jim low in the gut.  Knowing the powerful Khan wanted him so badly was the most potent aphrodisiac, and he was more than ready to feel the length of him breach deep into his body.  So, he answered without hesitation, “I want you inside of me, my Khan.”  He shifted to help align his entrance with Khan’s slick erection, his own form of ‘flagging’ to let the augment know he was ready and willing to be penetrated.

Using his right hand, clean of oil and fluids, Khan pressed his hand against the side of Jim's face, petting the messy blonde hair as he cupped his jaw and the spot just under his ear. Holding the side of his head like this, Khan kissed him again, gently, letting their lips brush. With a few testing rubs against his hole, then a slow push, Khan breached his lover with a gasp, for the first time perhaps truly allowing himself to experience it. "There- now how do you feel?" Khan said with a little smile, rubbing their noses together.

“Fuck.”  Jim scrambled a little at Khan’s back with his hands at the first push and then relaxed with a low moan.  “Like I want to be full of you for a long time,” he answered and smiled back at the playful, even tender, gesture of rubbing noses.  The hand holding his head in place did not feel threatening, but warm and caring.  It felt like Khan wanted the connection between them, their eyes looking into each other’s during an act which had formerly been unpleasant and forced.  “Like I want all of you.”

"Yes-" Khan kissed the side of his face, nuzzling his jawline. He waited for Jim to relax against his girth, before allowing himself to push in further. "Ah- you are bliss ..." Khan groaned closed to Jim's ear, then sucked slowly at the lobe.

“Bliss,” Jim murmured back and stroked a hand down to scratch along the edge of Khan’s right hip, near where they were now joined together.  He deliberately tightened and loosened his passage around the welcome intruder, wanting to really participate this time.  “Fuck, yeah that’s fucking good.  Please- all the way inside.  Let me feel you.”

The lower part of his back arched, responding to the light scratches with a steady thrust. The augment pushed himself up to the hilt, then paused again to kiss Jim over the side of his face over and over. Then turned his head with his hand so that he might kiss his lips. Khan marveled at his human companion, with affection and a small question in his eyes, but the question faded away and only the affection remained.

Khan’s affection well exceeded what Jim had expected and thrilled him in a way he did not anticipate in himself.  He responded to the kisses with his own whenever he could get a piece of skin in range.  And the warmth in those often frigid eyes blazed right through Jim and made him light up from head-to-toe as much as the insistent slide in and out of his body.  He continued to stroke the black locks and tugged at them lightly in response to the most direct hits to his prostate.  “You’re so good with me, Khan,” he encouraged.  “Know just how to move.  Such a good lover.”

“Thank you, I want to be good to you, Jim.” Khan purred softly, rutting inside his body, the friction of skin against skin keeping them warm, far more than the small fire. Khan began to pet his fingertips over the side of Jim's face once more, then lowered his hand so that he could hold Jim around his middle.

Jim instinctively answered all of Khan’s moves, and he just let himself go to follow the lead of the augment in this coupling.  Except for his hands, which kept steadily roving over the strong body, lightly caressing now and scratching bluntly in another moment.  No discomfort lingered anywhere, as waves of pleasure swept everything else away.  And Jim shared his experience verbally, as well, moaning, whining, grunting, crying out and allowing to escape freely whatever noise rose from his lungs.

“Jim, you feel amazing,” Khan moaned, kissing and licking at his neck. A sweet throbbing heat began to settle in his groin, and Khan could not help but speed his pace to satisfy the growing need. “Allow me to help you find release,” Khan said as he reached down between their bodies and began to stroke Jim's cock in time with his own thrusts.

Jim nearly yowled at the sudden and direct stimulation of his cock and struggled not to spurt all over them instantaneously.  He lightly squeezed Khan’s ass with both of his hands, as they moved to the swiftly thrusting part of Khan’s body.  With a deep groan and after but a few strokes of Khan’s hand, he climaxed with a force that caused stars to dance in front of his eyes.  His hands, arms and channel all gripped tightly around Khan in that same moment, as he rode the crest of his orgasm and all the following shocks.  “Khan,” he repeated on multiple gasps for breath.  “Khan.”

“Yes, yes-” Khan encouraged, breathing hard against Jim's skin. As Jim clawed against his backside in his excitement and ecstasy, Khan found his own release was close at hand. The augment gasped and growled as he spilled his seed into his human companion, finding such release that he could not speak, but attempted to communicate his pleasure by pressing his lips to Jim's mouth, in a sweet, deep kiss.

Jim went lax as the last of the aftershocks passed and left him sated and pliant in Khan’s arms.  He kissed back with languid contentment, answering the deep lip-lock with equal care to his lover’s.  The sheer amount of release still startled him, despite the number of times they’d coupled.  But this time, he savored the sensation of it dripping out of him around the semi-hard intrusion still inside.  “Fuck.  Oh, that was amazing,” he mumbled, words slurring together.

"Thank you for allowing me to experience that with you." Khan said, pressing kisses to Jim's shoulder and along the curve of his collarbone. "Are you comfortable? May I stay, inside your body a little while longer?"

Jim smiled and blinked sleepily up at the augment, saying in a warmly contented tone, “Yeah.  Stay as long as you can.  Feels good to have you inside me.  Seems like you could go again.”  He rubbed his hands lazily on Khan’s back, just the slightest movement.  “It is nice to be connected to someone, to you, after everything.”  He wondered about the augment thanking him in the part of his brain that wasn’t awash in hormones and urging him to just bask and sleep.

Settling some of his weight over Jim as he pressed down, a living blanket over his chest, Khan continued to offer little kisses to Jim's warm skin. Remaining half-hard, the two could bask in the intimate union, without any real goal in mind. "You are safe here. You are going home," Khan whispered, wanting to offer Jim this sense of relief as well.

“And you’ll see your family again,” Jim said, the whispered comments indeed relaxing him a little more.  “You’ll have a chance with us to get justice for them and yourself.”  He opened his eyes to gaze into Khan’s for a long moment.  “I’d like to get to know you off this rock.  Will you allow me to?”

Khan tilted his head to the side, looking at Jim with curiosity and fondness. "Yes, Jim." He said, and kept his head tilted as he kissed Jim on the corner of his mouth. "I would like that very much."

Yes, Jim enjoyed this affectionate side of Khan and wondered how many others had ever gotten to experience it.  He did not allow himself in this moment to worry about the reaction of his crew to his relationship with the augment, nor even to worry about it himself.  There was too much between them now for him to be willing to just let go of the older man, and he wanted to help Khan acclimatize to this new time and to his new life, away from the poison influence of Marcus and Section 31.  “I’m glad,” he said.  “There’s so much about now that you should be able to enjoy ... and I want to be there when you learn about those things.”

Khan placed one hand on each of Jim's shoulders, then laid his head down to one side with a small sigh. The augment had very little hope in this area, and what little he had, he did not indulge by grooming the idea obsessively. Still, he was willing to see what sort of life, alternative to the one Admiral Marcus, Section 31, and Rura Penthe had imposed on him, there was to have.

Jim tightened his arms around the augment in response to the sigh and the closeness.  Unsure exactly how to interpret the noise and action to his words, he decided on trying to provide some comfort and began to sing a soft lullaby to the other man.  His badly healed nose and the icy air had taken some of the natural sweetness of his tones, but he still carried the tune well and injected real feeling into the words.  He only interrupted the song now and then to press a kiss to Khan’s skin.

Khan listened happily as his companion sang, the tone and the words overpowering the sounds of the storm outside. A few times Khan shifted his hips forward to keep his place inside his lover's body, purring softly when an exciting hot spark rushed up his spine once more. “We can heat up water and eat a little, if you are in need.”

Jim would moan softly whenever Khan shifted, but never objected to the warm weight on him and the cock still firmly inside.  However, the mention of food made his stomach rumble embarrassingly, and he smiled up at Khan bashfully.  “Yeah, some food is probably a good idea.  I can’t wait to expand my diet again, though.”  He made a face.  “Bones’ll have me on light foods for weeks after we get off here.  It’s not fair.”

Slowly Khan slid out of Jim and immediately began to touch his legs and thighs to ease the strain on them. Wiping both Jim and himself off with a shirt, Khan sat up, pulling only one of the furs over his back and chest, leaving the rest for Jim in the bed they had made together.

Crouching like this, Khan pushed one of the canteens in close to the fire so that the water within would begin to warm up.

The withdrawal bothered Jim much more than the entry had, and he whined slightly in discomfort as Khan left him empty again.  But he stretched a little under the gentle hands that tended him, before sitting up to watch Khan.  “Anything I can do?” he asked as Khan got the water warm.  “I’m glad to help, if you want me to.”  He figured Khan would decline, but felt he at least had to ask.

"Stay under the furs. Keep warm.” Khan said, reaching for the pack he had been carrying all day.

Jim chuckled lightly and said, “Yes, Khan.  I just hate being all lazy while you’re out there getting cold.  I’m not that fragile.”  He continued to watch the augment with bright eyes.  “I guess I’ll have to content myself with warming you up when you come back under the covers.”  He looked approvingly over Khan’s body, which he’d never really let himself admire before.  “And enjoy the view ‘til then.”

"This is a safe location, secure from the dangerous temperatures. I think we will do well here tonight." Khan moved back to Jim to share the blankets once more.

Jim welcomed him with literal open arms and a kiss.  He wrapped him in their furs and rubbed his hands over his chest and arms.  "We already have, Khan."

This time it was Khan’s turn to curl up to the other man. Though the augment was still warm, leaning into Jim helped to take the chill out of being away from him those few mere seconds. To help, he had a sip of the warm water, allowing himself to re-hydrate as well. "Good. I am pleased you think so."

“Where’s my food?” Jim demanded playfully, even as he took a sip from his own canteen, which he reached out to fetch.  He kissed the augment’s nose in equal play, before scraping his teeth under Khan’s chin.  “A nice way to end a day of escape, am I right?”

Khan appeared to bite back, but the gesture was in pretend, as Khan snapped at the air around Jim's face without actually making contact with biting his skin. This sort of play, the augment understood. "Crackers," Khan indicated, pulling the box of them out from under the furs. He had handed them to Jim previously but they clearly had gotten lost in all the layers of fur and fabric. "And ... whatever these are meant to taste like," he said, fishing out the protein bars.

Jim laughed and pretend flinched at the 'bites,' understanding a little better the augment's mindset.  But he laughed even more when Khan uncovered the food and said, "Hell, I must have forgotten in all the fun."  He took one of the protein bars and sighed.  "These are damn good for you ... but they're like reformed cardboard."  He chewed into one with a nauseated expression, though his stomach was glad for some filling.

"It is why I prefer the crackers." Khan said putting two onto his tongue and pressing them in his mouth, eating them slowly.

Jim was glad to see him eat and opened his mouth like a baby bird to ask for one of the crackers himself, seeing if that was a cue Khan responded to.

In truth, regardless of the hardship of prison life, Khan had been a very selective eater.  He was happy to share his food with Jim, as much of it were foods he refused to eat himself. He had lost some weight because of this stubborn decision making, but he was hardly starving for it. But Jim asking for food in this way was new to Khan and he was uncertain as to how he should respond. "What?  This?" Khan held a cracker out then placed it on Jim's lips for him to eat.

Jim lipped it up and licked Khan's fingers in a friendly way of thanks, before chewing down the cracker.  "Yeah. that's a little better," he agreed.  "Not going to make a habit out of eating those, but better."  He opened his mouth again in the same manner and made a soft, plaintive noise on top of it.

"Hm-" Khan eyeballed Jim, then leaned over to kiss him once on the lips. "Since you are not interested in the crackers." He said, then kissed again.

More play.  Jim felt delighted and kissed back eagerly, thanking Khan for not only putting up with his silliness, but indulging him.  “You do taste much better than either the crackers or the protein bar,” he said fondly.  “Too bad I can’t live off your kisses.”  

Khan licked his own lips, determining something for a moment before speaking. "No, they are unfortunately not nutritious. But pleasant, I hope, even so."

“Very pleasant,” Jim affirmed.  “Infinitely more so than the food.”  He chased after the trail of the tongue over Khan’s lips, lightly running his own mouth in the same path.  “Mine are too, I hope.”

"Yes, indeed." Khan said with a hum. Even though they were still on Rura Penthe, they were free of the prison. And even if the Enterprise never came for them, and they died here in this cave, Khan would be happy for that choice, that freedom. Khan could be himself, which included being affectionate and playful with someone he cared for.

"You should be eating, not teasing me." Khan said with a little smile, kissing Jim, then sucking on his lower lip.

“I can do both,” Jim said after the kissed ended.  “I’m infamous for my multi-tasking abilities.”  But he leaned back into Khan with a low, satisfied sigh and began to eat his protein bar with a bit more focus, sipping water between bites.  Their skin warmed up together again, until Jim felt quite toasty and satisfied.  The hand not holding the protein bar he dropped to Khan’s left leg, which he caressed in slow, wide sweeps.  “The only thing that would make this moment better is a bath.”

Khan remained relaxed and purred softly after a few exhales, very pleased to have Jim touching him, maintaining contact. "Unfortunately, that is one thing that I cannot offer you out here." Khan said, regarding Jim for a moment. "Unless you wish to use the hot water and a cloth," he said, wishing to offer Jim an alternative to nothing at all.

Jim gave the idea serious consideration and then shook his head.  “Best not.  I can survive one more day of dirty, if you don’t mind it on me.”  He paused and looked up at Khan.  “I imagine you have a much stronger sense of smell than I do.  I don’t know how the stench at the mines didn’t make you hurl.”  Leaning in, he pressed his mouth lightly to Khan’s in an almost apologetic kiss for one more thing the augment must have suffered.  “I hope I smell not too awful.”

"The smell-" Khan echoed back with a small huff. "It certainly made being irritable very easy." He answered, then turned his attention on Jim, nuzzling and kissing the side of his cheek. "Right now, you smell like our coupling. There is nothing awful with that."

“Good,” Jim said with obvious satisfaction.  “Does that mean our scents are mingled ... or that I smell more like you?”  He stroked through Khan’s hair, raising his free hand up and back to do so.  “Your hair is addicting ... or maybe that’s just all of you.”  He polished off his protein bar, glad at least that his stomach felt happier, even if his tastebuds were still depressed.

Allowing his eyes to close lightly, Khan sighed deeply with relief, finding the touches quite soothing. He enjoyed the attention, even if he was not verbal about saying so. "The scent is mixed-" Khan answered, "But you do smell like me, just as I smell like you."

“Now there’s something I do wish I could smell,” Jim said with a light frown.  “Oh well, I guess I’ll take your word for it.”  He continued to softly stroke Khan’s hair and just relax in the warmth of their shared bed and company.  “May I ask something?” he said finally.  “About the purring noise you make … is that natural or is that like an artificial sound?”

"You enjoy it? You do not find it strange?" Khan asked , though leaned into Jim quite happily.

"Yeah, I like it," Jim confirmed easily and stretched his neck so he could look Khan in the eyes.  "Especially since it's involuntary.  It's a way of telling that you're happy and content.  I like being able to make you purr."

"I cannot recall doing so in a very long time." Khan said, then press a kiss to Jim's neck with another soft purr.

Jim scowled at the thought of Khan not feeling like purring, but tilted his head to expose his neck more for the kiss.  “Far past time to remedy that.”  He turned easily to kiss and nip at Khan’s neck and chin, chasing the elusive nose.

"Thank you." Khan said, smirking as they played this small game. "Do you need more to eat?" he asked after a few minutes.

“I would love a cheeseburger and fries with a chocolate sundae,” Jim said.  “Am I hungry for more crackers and protein bars?  No, not really.  But should I eat some more of them?  Probably.”  He opened his mouth in a begging posture.

Khan pulled out another cracker from the box and placed it on Jim's lips and tongue. "I would get you those things if I could."

Jim chewed on the cracker and said, “I know you would.  And I thank you, Khan.”  He nuzzled under Khan’s chin and pressed a kiss there again.  “What would you eat if you could?”

"Pineapple. Melon. Strawberry. Kiwi. Grapes. Foods if the earth."

"Allergic.  Depends on the species.  Allergic.  Allergic.  Yum," Jim said in response and then laughed softly.  "Should have known you were a purist.  Fuck, this garbage we've been eating must really get to you."

"Allergic? " Khan prompted with a small frown. "That is unfortunate." As these were his favorite foods.

Jim hummed agreement and urged one of Khan’s hands to gently rest on his abdomen.  “I’ve gotten used to it.  I’m pretty good about guessing at what I might be allergic to, and I’ve memorized all of the foods I’ve discovered I’m allergic to over the years.”  He snuggled more into Khan and caressed the arm he’d encouraged around his body with one hand, while he continued to stroke Khan’s hair with the other hand.

Taking the cue in his own way, Khan pressed on Jim's abdomen steadily until he got the other man to lay back with him. Khan made some small adjustments of the blankets to ensure they were covered properly before cuddling up tightly to the other man. "Are you warm enough?"

Jim grumbled a little, but then settled into the new position.  "Yeah.  It's perfect under all these covers ... and with you.  Nothing like a little body heat to make everything nice and toasty."  He encouraged Khan's hand a little lower, to curl over his groin.  It was a protective, safe touch that also made him shiver with a bit of reflexive erotic energy.

"Good," Khan purred softly, giving a gentle squeeze as Jim directed him to touch him intimately once again. He kissed Jim on the neck and shoulder, while palming Jim's groin, petting the sides with the pads of his fingers.

Jim moaned softly as those gentle touches made him harden again, eager for the true touch of a lover.  “Will you touch me slow and gentle and make me come again?  I’d like that.  Please, Khan.”  He arched into the touch, enjoying the sensuousness of such long, caring fingers.  

"Yes Jim, happily," Khan answered. His touches remained slow and stimulating. At times he allowed his fingers to curl around the base of his shaft and lightly squeeze,  before he soothed the muscle again with gentle circles with the palm of his hand.

Jim seldom was on the receiving end of a slow build-up, but this was amazing.  He writhed in Khan’s arms and stroked up and down any piece of skin he could reach.  “Fuck, you’ve got the best hands, Khan.  Strong and soft and dexterous.  Do you want to be inside me again?”

"I would love to be inside you, Jim. " Khan spoke close to Jim's shoulder, nuzzling the skin with his nose and lips. "But first I want to have you come, just as you said, in my hands, nice and slow."

“Oh, I see how it is,” Jim murmured, but smiled warmly up at the augment.  “You want me completely pliant and exhausted in your arms when you press inside me.”  He lightly stroked Khan’s side and pressed a little more into the fondling hand.  “And I’m going to love it.  Feeling you press inside me while I just enjoy lying there and taking it.  Watching your eyes …”  He thought Khan’s eyes were the most amazing things, though they were nowhere near as blue as his own.  But the truth of the man was in his eyes, and Jim was learning to read them.

"Good. I did not think you would object." Khan groaned against Jim's skin giving a small bite to his shoulder. He squeezed and rolled Jim's cock in his hand gently, then allowed two fingers to hook down under his sac to caress the underside of his shaft and the delicate skin there.

Jim thrashed a little more at those perfect touches that made him grow even harder.  In ordinary circumstances, he was a connoisseur of sex, and this kind of handling wouldn’t have inflamed him to such heights.  But tonight, he was with the strongest, most complicated man he’d ever met, or been with, at the end of a long, brutal experience, and the gentle, caring touches made him hard and aching faster than the most vigorous sessions he’d ever experienced before.  “No objections,” he got out through low moans and gasps of pleasure.   

"Wonderful." Khan said in a low, predatory voice. But there was nothing vicious or deadly about the way he handled Jim, his hand remained gentle and light, never once rushing Jim in some sort of panic to get him off. Instead, Khan used the entire flat of his hand, rubbing it over Jim's cock, pushing it back and forth. "You make the most delicious sounds." Khan said, licking and kissing down his bicep, before he arched his neck so that he could suck on his nipple.

“Oh,” Jim startled at the sudden, intense contact with his nipple, which budded eagerly into Khan’s mouth.  He grasped Khan’s head in his hand instinctively, encouraging him to keep up the sucking.  His body had also responded to the rich velvet darkness of Khan’s tone, cock pulsing a bit of fluid into the eager hand that manipulated it.  “Can’t help it.  Don’t want to help it,” he said, struggling for the words around more animal noises.

With a soft groan, Khan took to the direction, sucking at the small erect nub, pressing his tongue against it firmly, then sucked again. His fingers gently squeezed around the erection in his hand, in slow pulses, from base to head, until his thumb was gliding over the top, left to right, then right to left, painting the slick over the head to stimulate those sharp nerves.

In this way was Jim driven mad with delicious pleasure, body pushing in different directions to try and heighten the stimulation from every source.  His voice hit a pitch higher than ever before in his desperate pleas for "more" and "don’t stop" and "pleasepleaseplease" and "Khaaaaaan!" until his release spilled all over Khan’s fingers and himself in a dozen pulsing waves that left him this side of delirious.

"Beautiful, Jim," Khan purred, giving his chest a few gentle bites. His fingers played with the wetness and slick, still fondling Jim gently, even after his orgasm. "That felt good, hm?" He prompted, testing his continued willingness by dipping two fingers between his thighs to tease his hole.

“Yeah,” Jim sighed contentedly and lay happily under the continued touches.  “Think I just drained myself dry ... with your help,” he mumbled, words as deliciously strung out as he was.  He wiggled his ass a little as the fingers probed at him and continued his mumble, “Just push in, Khan.  All wet and ready for ya.”

Pressing in, Khan groaned deeply, a shudder crawling its way up his back. "Your body is so relaxed-" Khan said with deep pleasure as he found little resistance in fingering him. He rewarded Jim with a hundred little kisses over his chest and neck, moving to settled between his thighs. Not needing to be prepared like before, Khan used both hands to keep Jim's legs eased apart. And with a steady push, Khan found that he was able to slide right back into Jim's body. Diving easily into the familiar wet heat.

Jim welcomed him with a low grunt and utter lack of fight, body accepting their coupling naturally.  He hummed a note under his breath and turned his head to find places on Khan to kiss, as well, echoing the fervent presses of mouth against his own skin.  “Meant for you,” he assured him, reaching out again to caress the thick black hair.  “C’mon now.”

"For me." Khan repeated with a soft, possessive, growl. He began to push in, over and over, keeping them joined as Khan melted into the depths of Jim's body. The sounds he made were entirely inhuman, a mix of growls and whines, panting and groans as the augment worked himself up. He kissed Jim on the lips, their breath hot against one another in the cold of the cave.

"You feel amazing." Khan whispered, sucking, then biting a spot on Jim's neck. "So amazing-" The words slipped out again as the augment found his pleasure. The muscles along his back slowly writhed and tightened as he gasped, head tucked in close to Jim's shoulder, nerves trembling as he spilled his seed, finding relief in the willing body of his human companion.

Jim grinned to himself at how quickly Khan orgasmed, but also glowed with a smug kind of contentment at bringing the augment such pleasure.  The bite to the back of his neck stung a bit, but in no way that bothered him, and he wondered if they were some sort of instinctive mark of claim.  And decided to ask as long as Khan seemed at ease enough not to mind.  He reached back to lightly touch the mark and said, “Bet that’s going to show for a little while.”

Khan lifted his gaze to where Jim was indicating. He was quiet at first, licking his lips once before speaking. "I should have asked, first. Did I hurt you?" But before Jim could answer, Khan leaned forward to lick and soothe the spot with his tongue.

“Doesn’t hurt,” Jim assured him and moved his hand to pet Khan’s hair as the man licked at his neck.  “And I didn’t mind.  Really.  I just- were you marking me as yours?” he asked with quiet curiosity.  He continued to stroke his hair and keep snugged up to him without any struggle.  He hoped Khan might stay inside him for awhile again, even if his passage was a little rough.

"In the heat of the moment, yes, I marked you." Khan hesitated before he continued to answer. "It was possessive of me to do so without your consent. Do not be offended." He said, still offering small apologetic licks and kisses to Jim's skin.

“I am not offended, Khan,” Jim assured softly.  “I’m curious ... was it just the moment?  Or was it more?  Don’t be angry at me for asking.”  He made to turn his head as far as it could go so he could look into Khan’s eyes.  

"I ..." Khan hesitated again as he met Jim's gaze. "You are not my property." Khan clarified before truly answering. "But you are my lover and companion. And I may always think of you as such, even after we part."

Jim studied his face for a long moment and said, “You never treated me as property, not really.  We played roles, but you were kind to me in a way that let me know you never viewed me as a belonging.”  He stretched his neck to rub their noses together gently.  “And we have become lovers ... and companions.  But would you really always think of me that way?”

"We have been partners through this difficult time. Sexually and otherwise. I will always remember it and think well of you."

Jim frowned at the repeat of words that spoke of their parting.  “Fuck that,” he said decisively.  “I don’t believe in no-win situations.  That’s why I took the chance to talk to you in the first place.  You’re not just gonna leave my life forever, you got that?”

Khan took the scolding well. In fact, he kissed Jim softly on the lips. "Yes, Jim, please." There was something gentle in him, perhaps having some hope in this area he had been careful not to express. "How then, may I be allowed to think of us? Might I leave marks on your body in the future?"

The response was exceptionally pleasing to Jim, who grinned and kissed back with a bit of pepper.  “Good.  I’m glad that’s settled.  We’ll figure out how to make it work between us.  I’ll always be your friend, and I’ve discovered I like being your lover, too.  So, for now, we’re friends and lovers and that’s how I want you to think of me.  We’ll think of each other that way.  And yeah, I like the marks, so make more of them.  Am I allowed to bite back?”

"If you feel the desire, you may bite as well. Though I enjoy, and prefer the scratches you leave down my back." Khan said, expressing this distinction, even though he could not exactly say why. "Friend and lover-" Khan repeated with a little smile, "how would you like to sleep tonight?"

Jim interpreted that preference as another indication of Khan’s alpha status.  His mate should be under him, raking nails (since humans didn’t have claws) over his back as he thrust inside.  But it was not at all something he minded.  Khan was an excellent enough lover that Jim didn’t mind bottoming exclusively for him.  

“I’d like for us both to be on our sides, facing each other,” Jim decided.  “And you can hold me in those ridiculously strong arms.”  He reached back to lightly rub his hand over Khan’s flank.  “Guess it is time to part ... my ass is going to get a bit uncomfortable soon.”

"I understand." Khan said as he lifted himself up. Though he kept his head bowed to offer Jim a few consoling kisses, the augment sat back and slipped out of his lover's body with a sigh. "You were amazing, Jim." He said, then took the time to clean them both off once more before slumping over to settle on his side.

Jim followed after him and scooted close to look into Khan’s eyes, even as he reached out to find a comfortable spot to drape an arm over his hip.  “This work for you?” he asked, even as he pressed a kiss to the tip of Khan’s nose.  He attempted to keep the augment’s gentle contentedness going.  “Will you sleep at all?”

"Yes, this is good." Khan said, pressing his large, paw-like hand to Jim's chest, keeping himself connected to the other man in his own way. "We are safe here. I, too, may sleep." He admitted, looking back at Jim, before closing his eyes a few times, in slow blinks that showed his trust in the other man, and how relaxed he was.

Jim let out a yawn of his own sleepiness and said, “Good. Don’t make us wake up too early, huh?” he asked.  “Not really looking forward to the snow again.”  He allowed his head to lean forward and lightly rest against his forehead against Khan’s.  “This is much better.”

"No, I will not wake us up early. A good sleep and rest is far more important than attempting to move on." Khan said, his breathing steady and calm. "Sleep well, Jim. Let me know if you need anything." He said, not wanting Jim to leave their bed in the middle of the night, for any reason.

“Even if I have to pee?” Jim teased, unable to help himself.  This version of Khan made him feel safe and comfortable, and he liked to be informal with his friends.  

"If you need to pee, let me know. We will have to get you dressed for it, and find you a good spot so that you do not freeze to the wall, leaving you unable to return to bed." Khan peered at Jim out of one eye, then huffed softly as he relaxed once more.

Jim snickered at the response, especially the huff of soft exasperation.  “I wouldn’t let myself freeze to a wall,” he protested softly, but just grinned after.  He closed his own eyes, fully intending to go to sleep now.  


	5. Chapter 5

The tingle of the transporter hit sometime before their afternoon protein bars and crackers, but after they had finished making love.  But they were still naked and curled together under their pile of furs when he felt them begin to dematerialize.  And his only response was to tighten his arms around Khan to make sure that they both made it to the Enterprise.

When the cool metal of the transporter room pressed against all of his naked flesh, Jim took just a moment to blink at the bright lights around him and enjoy the scenery.  He made a noise of delight and gave Khan a quick hug, before scrambling to his feet.  “Spock!” he yelled, seeing the not-as-composed-as-usual Vulcan at the control panel, and hustled right across the room to give the man an undignified hug.  And then he turned to the human in blue standing next to the Vulcan.  “Bones!”  And then his friend also received a huge Jim hug.  

Commander Spock was not surprised by the public gesture, as his Captain was a sociable man, who had spent 44 days imprisoned in a hostile environment. He did however find the matter of his undress startling. The surface temperatures of Rura Penthe were deadly to humanoid life forms, so Captain Kirk's state of undress seemed more then unwise. It was suicidal, and Spock did not understand this. They had rescued him, as they had arranged, and promised to do. But a clue to his Captain's naked and animated state presented itself as another man stood from the transporter platform.

Khan stood slowly, keeping the furs and blankets around his body. His body temperature was already beginning to adapt to something less harsh, but he kept himself covered, not because he was shy, but because he did not know these people, and it was best to remain guarded.

"Captain?" Spock kept his eyes on the second man who had been beamed along with Jim. The Vulcan had not anticipated anyone else, otherwise he would have asked for a security crew to be in attendance. Still, for such situations, a phaser was attached to the side of the transporter console. Reaching for this weapon, Spock held his aim upon the second man instantly.

Dr. Leonard ‘Bones’ McCoy had spent the 44 days in agony worrying about his best friend and was willing to ignore the man’s nakedness simply to rejoice at his being alive and strong enough to act like Jim Kirk.  But he was reaching for his tricorder when Spock pulled a phaser on Jim’s companion.  And in a second, Jim had disentangled himself, stood between the phaser and the other man and commanded in his best captain’s voice, “Put that down, Mr. Spock.”

Without waiting to be obeyed, Jim turned to Khan and smiled at him, asking quietly, “Are you alright, Khan?  Everything come through in one piece?”

"Yes, thank you." Khan said, stepping down from the transporter pad so that no one could make the decision to send him back. But in doing so, he also pulled one of the furs off from his shoulders and draped it over Jim's back, covering his bare skin, in part.

"Captain." Spock responded to the order, but still kept his hands close to the console, prepared to call for security or take up the weapon again if needed. "Perhaps you might explain why you have elected to bring a Rura Penthe prisoner aboard the Enterprise."

Jim pulled the fur around him to cover his modesty a bit, not that he really worried about those things.  He stayed close to Khan, this time protecting him (from overzealous friends) as he turned back to Spock and Bones.  “This is Khan Noonien Singh.  Without him, I wouldn’t have survived Rura Penthe.  And like me, the only reason he was in Klingon prison was because of Marcus and Section 31.  He protected me from the guards and the other inmates, and I promised to bring him with me when the Enterprise returned.”  He reached out to rest a hand on Khan’s arm.  “Khan, I want to introduce you to my First Officer, Commander Spock, and my Chief Medical Officer, Dr. McCoy.  They also happened to be my best friends.”

Spock took a step away from the console to regard Khan. He had no doubt that the prisoner Khan had looked after Jim, in trade for the opportunity to leave Rura Penthe. However, any connection to Admiral Marcus and Section 31 would have to be verified, as Jim Kirk would have had no way to fact-check anything the prisoner Khan might have said.

"Thank you for picking us up." Khan said, not liking how Spock was attempting to evaluate him, though he did not resist it either. Khan was a guest in Jim's territory now. He would abide.

Bones looked over Khan briefly and then said, “Well, if you saved Jim, then you’re right in my book.  And now, you both need to go to Sickbay.  Rura Penthe is not known as a health spa.”  He glanced over their lack of clothing and turned to Spock.  “I’d like to request an emergency beaming to Sickbay, unless you’d prefer to make Jim and our guest go in the altogether.”

“Hey, we’ve got our furs,” Jim said with a bright grin.  “I don’t mind walking through the Enterprise this way.  Be a chance to say hello to her.  Fuck, I’m glad to be back.”  

"In the interest of public health and safety, I shall beam you directly to sickbay." Spock said, ignoring Jim's informal request. Until Doctor McCoy cleared him, Spock was still acting Captain. Not that Spock got any satisfaction from making Jim follow his orders. That would be illogical. "Doctor." Spock gave the man a nod, before tapping out the instructions on the console to beam the Doctor and his patients directly to medical.

Bones rolled his eyes at his friend, but as soon as they reached Sickbay, he was all business.  “Gentlemen, I need you each on a biobed, please.  Dr. M’Benga, will you please looked over Captain Kirk.  I’ll be looking after our guest.”  He picked up a tricorder and headed over to their unexpected passenger.  “Mr. Singh ... is that how you want to be addressed?  Does Starfleet have your medical records on file?  Do you have any medical conditions I need to know about?”

Jim took a seat and watched the interactions between Khan and Bones for a moment, before Dr. M’Benga came over to begin checking up on him.  He watched the doctor scan him and answered questions about the cold, the food, his rest, the fights, everything they faced on the prison.  Several times, M’Benga frowned and made notes and then he took out one of Jim’s least favorite objects, a hypospray.  “Do we have to?”

M’Benga grinned and said, “Several of them.  Some vitamins and nutrients.  Some vaccines against diseases you might have been exposed to on the planet.  And a painkiller so I can fix your nose, which is your worst injury.”

Without speaking, and making small, quiet observations of his own, Khan followed directions and sat on the biobed. Though he pulled at the blankets over his chest, so that they fell over his lap, allowing him some sense of decency. "You may address me as Khan, that is sufficient." He said, keeping his eyes on McCoy's hands and what tools he intended to use on him. "My medical files are sealed by Section 31. However, I can tell you that I am healthy, aside from progressive weight loss and slight dehydration."

“How long were you on Rura Penthe?” Bones asked, as he read what his tricorder told him with a frown.  “Your readings indicate that you’re right about your health ... but they’re also off the scale for humans in other ways. Especially your metabolism.”  He frowned as something occurred to him.  “Sealed by Section 31?  Why would they have sealed the records?”

"I have been on Rura Penthe for nineteen months." Khan answered, glancing at the tricorder readings for himself, able to interpret them upside-down. It was quite a feat, his survival, augment or not, as the average lifespan was less then a year, even for the most hardy of species in the universe. It was known as an alien graveyard for a reason.

"The files were sealed," Khan began, attempting to be as calm as possible, considering his rage that had yet to be given an outlet, "due to the nature of medical experimentation I underwent, while in their custody."

“Nineteen months?” Bones said, not really able to comprehend that.  “And you’re merely dehydrated and thin?  That shouldn’t even be possible.”  He made more notes.  “Wait, medical experimentation?  What the hell are you talking about?”  He stared at Khan.  “Because of these readings?  Did they do something to you, Khan?  Anything you can tell me will help me treat you properly.”

"The nature of the experimentation was to determine my immunity to alien illnesses, and how my body adapted to extreme forces or environments. The readings are accurate, Doctor, for my design." Khan regarded the doctor once more before forcing himself to admit what he was. "I am engineered. I am what you call, an augment."

Bones blinked a few times, absorbing this information, and then asked, “Like the people in the cryotubes we have aboard?  Are you from that lot?”  He glanced at the readings and said, “That would explain how you could survive nineteen months on Rura Penthe.”

"Yes. They are my crew." Khan said, his eyes fixed and steady on Doctor McCoy. The augment was getting agitated, and truly there was no one to blame, except for the fact that he had been a prisoner for so long, his people were so close at hand, and Khan had very legitimate reasons to be uncomfortable and wary around doctors.

Bones nodded and said, “I’ll give you a couple of hyposprays for the malnutrition and the possible exposure to disease and get you something to eat and drink, before we get you cleaned and properly clothed.  And I’ll speak to Spock about getting your records.  We have ways into Section 31 now.”

"Thank you, Doctor." Khan said with a small sigh, looking to Jim on the other side of the room. "It is not light reading." Khan said quietly in warning.

M’Benga had finished Jim’s examination and brought the results over to Dr. McCoy, now that he seemed done with his own patient for the moment.  He knew that the older man would want to see the readings for himself, as well.  “Here you go, Dr. McCoy.”

Meanwhile, Jim waved at Khan and then sidled off the bed, naked again, as he left the furs behind.  He slipped right over to Khan while the doctors were busy with their readings, asking, “Are you alright?  You’re looking a little tense.”  He took one of Khan’s hands.

"I will be fine." Khan said, lightly closing his eyes a moment, showing his trust in Jim, even among strangers in the room. "I am anxious to be clean and see my people again." But even with those things on his mind, Khan took care of Jim, as though he were still his responsibly. He wrapped one of the blankets around Jim's hips, tucking and knotting it carefully to one side.

Jim looked down at the blanket around his waist and then looked up to Khan with a soft smile.  “Thank you, Khan.”  He squeezed the hand in his once.  “As soon as Bones gives us the all clear, I’ll show you where we’re keeping them.  Bones is making sure they’re tubes function properly and they’re all healthy.”

“Which is a lot easier than having to deal with you,” Bones said, walking over to scowl at the younger man.  “Get back to your bed.  Khan may only be dealing with weight loss and dehydration, but your readings are a mess.  And there’s your nose.  You’re lucky you didn’t get yourself killed taking a blow like that to the face and not having the means to treat it properly for a month!”  Bones shooed him back to the other biobed.  “Now, sit down and keep still until we’re done with you.”

Khan listened to the doctor and Captain interact. The power dynamic was not obvious to Khan, as the two indeed spoke to one another as friends. It was strange for the augment to see and hear. Still, he did not like the implication that a broken nose would have gotten Jim killed. Khan had been looking out for him after all.

"Aw, come on, Bones, it's not like I wanted that riot to break out," Jim said a tad sulkily.  "I was trying to keep my head down in there.  I would have been meat if not for Khan."

Bones' face tightened at the implication, and he put a hand gently on Jim's shoulder and glanced at the tricorder readings instinctively.  "I know, Jim."  For all his griping, Bones was glad to have Jim show all of his normal fighting and pain-in-the-ass spirit.  He'd been terrified of what they might find when they retrieved him after so long on Rura Penthe.

"Can Khan come over here then?" Jim asked.

Bones frowned a little, but said, "If you want him to."

"Khan, come over here please," Jim said and patted a spot next to him on the biobed.

"Yes, Jim." Khan left his biobed to sit next to Jim instead of remaining at his own or encouraging Jim to keep leaving his in order to stay close. "I shall remain here while you continue to receive treatment."

"Well, I also think Bones wants to ask me some rather intimate questions that also involve you," Jim said, keeping his eyes on Bones' face as he spoke.

The doctor spluttered for a moment and then frowned, expression very grave.  "I was going to speak to you about that in private."

"It's alright, Bones.  Any signs you see, they're from Khan.  And it was consensual on both parts.  Right, Khan?"  Jim glanced at the augment to let him see that he was serious.

Khan lowered his gaze for a moment, recognizing that Jim was protecting him. It was a difficult conversation and Jim was under no obligation to be honest or direct about it. Jim could very easily have confided in private how Khan had caused a few tears to his ass, how he needed to be treated and healed in very intimate areas because he had been mistreated. But he didn't. He wasn't laying blame, he was being inclusive. "Yes, it was consensual." Khan said, lifting his eyes to look at Jim, breathing a soft sigh of relief. "We did our best under the circumstances, but there may be lingering damage."

“He was protecting me,” Jim stressed again, eyes now locked with his best friend’s, willing him to understand without all of the ugly details having to be explained now.  And bless him, Bones did understand, face tightening a moment, before his whole body relaxed minutely.

“Thank you, Khan,” Bones said, “for protecting my best friend and Captain.  I’m only sorry you were both trapped in that kind of situation.  I’m glad to know there was someone sticking up for him.  Especially someone who has no reason to love Starfleet.”

"During our time together, as he spoke, and spent time with me, the more I came to see how very much he is unlike Admiral Marcus. It has been a small relief to know not all of Starfleet shares the Admiral's mindset." Khan then turned his gaze to McCoy and gave him a respectful nod, "On that topic, thank you for looking after my crew, my people."

“Once we realized they were inside those torpedoes and that Marcus had wanted them fired at Qu’noS-” Bones started, face fused into as near to rage as he got without tipping over the edge.  “We couldn’t get the cryotubes out fast enough to make sure they were undamaged.  They are all well, and I’ll let you see them as soon as I finish treating Jim, if you want us both there for the tour.  His nose needs some mending before he goes anywhere.  And I want to be the one to fix it ... I know how much he values his pretty face.”  He’d relaxed some by the end, eyes fond as he looked on his friend.

Jim scowled playfully at Bones, but said in a serious tone, “Could have done with being a little less pretty lately.”  He leaned a leg against Khan.

"Thank you, Doctor." Khan said, agreeing to the terms. They would go together, once Jim was discharged. In the meantime, Khan placed a hand on Jim's leg, valuing the connection between them, even as he observed the nearby computer scrolling through recent results and findings. From his perspective, Jim was not in as bad of shape as he could have been. Everything he was seeing was treatable.

Bones squeezed Jim’s shoulder and said, “I’ll take care of the nose now.”  He carefully lifted one of the bone knitted designed especially for the nose and fit it over the somewhat crooked curve of Jim’s nose.  “There now.  Let that do its work.  Khan, would you like a shower?  We’ve got the facilities, and we can replicate you some new clothes, as well.  Jim’ll take about twenty minutes under the knitter and then he’ll need a shower and some clothes, too.”

"Yes, I would enjoy a shower very much." Khan answered, but made no move to get up. Instead, he looked to Jim for his preference on the matter. "Would you like me to stay, while your nose gets fixed?" He asked, accustomed to being on hand to Jim when he needed it.

“Nah, you go ahead, Khan,” Jim said.  “It’ll give Bones a chance to fix some of my more delicate bits, too.  And when I’m done, I’ll snag a quick shower and we can go see your people.”  

“Before you both report back here to get some rest,” Bones said firmly.  “I’ll fix you up in a private room to get some sleep in peace.  Than we’ll see how you’re faring in the morning.”

"Thank you, Jim." Khan said, then stood, giving Jim one last glance to ensure he would be fine. Which, of course he would. This was his ship, and his crew. He was among his friends. "Doctor. If you could direct me to the shower and where I might get a change of clothes, I would appreciate the opportunity to feel ... untainted."

Bones gave Jim a quick once-over to make sure he was well and then nodded to Khan.  “Of course.  We even have real water showers in Sickbay, so you don’t have to settle for the sonic variety.”  He gestured for Khan to follow and wandered back into a quieter area in the rear of the medical facilities, where there were some private rooms and showers.  “Here we go, Khan.  This will be your room for a few days of monitoring.  I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that you want to share with Jim.”

Khan nodded simply as he was given the small tour, but then looked to the Doctor quite quickly when he presumed that the two men would want to stay close together, even though they were no longer in prison. "If that is acceptable." He said carefully, unsure of the implications the doctor was making.

Bones nodded slowly, lips pressed together in a mix of smile and grimace.  “Jim’s amazing like that.  He inspires loyalty and friendship in the most unlikely places.  Just remember that you two aren’t alone anymore.  If either of you need anything, just call for one of my medical staff.  They’re here for both of you.”  He nodded once decisively and moved to a small closet.  “Towels are in here.  You can replicate some clothes for yourself here, too.  We keep these small replicators here for a variety of purposes, but they can generate fairly generic clothes.”

"Understood." Khan accepted the friendly warning, but also understood the offer the Doctor was making. They would not need to sneak around, steal what they needed, or fight for it. Whatever their needs, they would be looked after. "Thank you."

“I’d say the greater thanks needs to come from us,” Bones said.  “We’re just trying to make up for how you’ve been treated.  If I may... what did you do to make Marcus abandon you on Rura Penthe?  I mean, the man’s done a lot of despicable things, but that’s about as heinous a crime as ever I’ve heard of.  Right up there with the genocide of your people.”

"I was abandoned on Rura Penthe because I had begun to remember who I was. The techniques used to wash my memory, to control me, were no longer working. Like a virus, the more times I was exposed to the manipulation of my memory, the more I became immune to it. When the techniques Admiral Marcus used, no longer worked, I became disobedient. Uncontrollable. Too dangerous for him to handle, let alone keep. But he did not want to kill me. He saw that I might be still useful to him again in the future. So he put me on ice, as it were, on Rura Penthe."

“Have you had any problems due to his tampering?” Bones asked, instantly concerned with the medical effects.  “Headaches?  Loss of memory?  Seizures?”  He pulled out his tricorder again and stepped forward to scan Khan’s head.  “I’d like to do a more detailed exam of your brain, if I might.  Nothing invasive.”  He considered Khan’s words and the Section 31 medical records that he’d read.  “Are you the person who was known as John Harrison?”

The augment drew his shoulders back, looking at Doctor McCoy and the tricorder near his head with unease and caution. "John Harrison was the name given to me." But that was not who he was. That name, that person was a lie. "And I am willing to address the alternations to my person, including ... problems." Khan said, finding it difficult to admit there were flaws now present within his mind. "But now is not the time." He said, as almost a warning.

“Than I do have some medical records to compare your current ones to,” Bones mumbled, mostly to himself.  “And yeah, I want you to get some food and rest before we do more detailed scans of your brain.  There will be confounding factors from your imprisonment, too.  So, for now, shower and rest.  Do you want Nurse Chapel to fetch you some food?  You can eat solids, unlike our erstwhile captain. Which reminds me, I’ve got to get back to Jim before he removes the knitter.”

"Perhaps. I shall speak with her after I wash and dress." For the time being, Khan was completely fixated on the idea of being clean. Brain scans didn't matter. Food didn't matter. Being polite didn't matter. Only the shower and being clean mattered.

“Very well.  Jim’s nose will take another fifteen minutes or so, if he hasn’t messed up the knitter,” Bones said.  “I’ll expect he wants a shower, too, and he definitely needs some food.  So, we’ll be making sure he eats.  I’d appreciate your help with that, too.  He’s never an easy patient.”

"As I said before, we did our best. I kept him safe, warm, and fed. Not to Starfleet standards, but under the circumstances, I did my best." Khan said, then added as an afterthought. "I understand that it is important to provide him with the proteins and nutrients he has been denied while imprisoned, but a few sweets, a bit of chocolate, would bring him great joy."

“Not complaining,” Bones reassured him.  “Nobody could have done better.  He’s alive and in much better physical condition than could ever be expected, and most importantly, still all Jim Kirk.  And yeah, a little chocolate bribery never goes awry.”  He nodded and headed out to take care of Jim, whom he discovered playing with the knitter, as he’d worried.  “JIM!” rung through Sickbay.

Khan chuckled to himself after Doctor McCoy left. It seemed that Jim caused trouble for his friends, too. But trusting that Jim would be well and did not need him, Khan finally undressed himself from the blankets and furs. He cleaned himself first in the sonic shower, even though it was not satisfying, it effectively stripped away dirty and dead skin. After a few minutes, once a new layer of skin was exposed, Khan then used the water shower, finding great pleasure in the heat of the water and washing his body, himself. He spent a fair amount of time, indulging in the hot water before he was finally satisfied. He was clean and his skin was free of any smells from the prison.

Drying off with a towel, Khan then began to scroll through the computer console for clothing options, until he found something suitable. Pants. Tunic. Even socks.

By the time Khan was choosing his clothes, Jim had the knitter off and had been left by a mostly satisfied Bones in their shared room.  He was preparing for his own shower, selecting a new outfit to replace the nothing he wore now.  And when he headed for the bathroom, he met the augment selecting clothes.  “Hey, Khan.  You look all nice and clean.  Feeling better?”

"Yes, thank you." Khan said, looking up at Jim from where he sat on a bench, pulling on his socks. A small comfort he had missed while imprisoned. "I see Doctor McCoy repaired the damage to your nose, successfully."

“It’s nice not to be crooked anymore,” Jim said with a bright smile for Khan, reaching up to touch his nose.  “Worth the way the damn thing makes me itch every time I use it.”  He rubbed the area a few times and sighed, before moving close to see if the augment would give him a kiss.  “Hello.”

"Every time? It has happened more than once?" Khan asked, deciding he was not that surprised just as he asked the question. But he stood from the bench seat, in nothing but his socks and underwear, giving Jim's nose closer inspection. He tilted his head to the left, and pressed a light kiss to his cheek. "Hello."

“And not to just my nose,” Jim confirmed with a little shrug, before he put his arms around Khan to give him a proper hug.  “You alright?” he asked.  “Bones was nice to you, right?”  He studied Khan’s face, glad to see him fully clean for the first time.  “‘Cause sometimes he just sounds mean, and he’s really a softie.”

"I am feeling better, now that I am washed." Khan said, pressing a hand to Jim's side. "Doctor McCoy mentioned that it would be acceptable for us to share a room while in medical, if that is agreeable to you?" Khan asked, aware that Jim still wanted to be friends with him, but also aware that he might perhaps enjoy some time to himself without the need of the augment present at all times. Then again, Jim might have gotten accustomed to sharing close space with him, and being alone suddenly after the trauma of the prison might be unwelcome.

“Yeah, I think it’s a good idea for both of us, really,” Jim said.  “We’ve gone through a lot together, and the Enterprise is new ground for you.  I want to help you acclimate here, the way you helped me with Rura Penthe.  And I want to learn how it is to have you around when we’re not always in danger from the cold and the guards and the inmates.  The room would be lonely without you in it.”  He nodded once and then unhooked the blanket Khan had given him.  “Hell, I might even ask you to wash my back.”

"Good. Thank you, Jim. I am glad that you are willing. I would find it lonely, too." Khan admitted. Then petting his hand down the front of Jim's chest, Khan smiled a little. "If you truly need my assistance, I will join you ... it is good to see you, happy."

“Yeah, join me?” Jim asked, tugging at Khan’s arm playfully.  “I know it’s silly, since you just got a shower, but it will make it that much more fun for me.  And you can help me get rid of all the grime of Rura Penthe.”  He stood in all his unashamed nakedness in front of Khan with wide, hopeful eyes.

"Very well, Jim. As you wish." Khan said and sat back down on the bench to pull off his socks. "Go ahead, bring it to temperature that you prefer, and I shall join you."

Jim grinned at him and headed for the shower, eager to get to it himself.  He programmed the water to be nice and warm, before stepping in to just let it run all over him for a few moments, waiting for Khan to join him.  He wanted to invite the augment to clean him all over, if the other man was interested.  Besides, it was lovely to just bask in the moment, knowing he was off Rura Penthe and the Enterprise was warping home.  There was a lot to be done in the next few days of travel, but Jim could just enjoy this time.

A moment later, Khan entered into the shower room and smiled a little at the warm steam already filling the air. Approaching Jim from behind, Khan placed a hand on his back to notify him that he was there. "Feels good, doesn't it?" He prompted softly, lightly scratching the pads of his fingers in small circles over Jim's back, helping to scrub off the dirt and dead skin cells.

“Fuck, yeah,” Jim said with a sigh and looked over his shoulder at Khan, smiling brightly.  “Will you make it even better by helping me wash?  We’ve got soap and shampoo and conditioner and warm water … it’s practically paradise here.”  He ducked his head back under the spray.

Reaching for the soap, Khan began a lather in his hands. Then starting at his shoulders, he worked his way down Jim's back, scrubbing the skin over and over, hitting each inch at least half a dozen times to ensure it was getting a new breath of clean life. "How does that feel?"

Jim’s entire body eased under the gentle touches, and he sighed, “That feels amazing, Khan.  Thank you.  It’s been too long since I’ve truly felt clean.”  He turned round to let Khan give the same attention to his front, planning to do his legs for himself.  “You look good all clean, too.”

"Hm- no more incarceration for you, alright?" Khan said with a little smile, kissing Jim on the cheek once more. As he leaned in, Khan began to scrub down his chest, with attention over his sides and ribs until his hands were resting on his hips.

Jim’s arms slotted naturally around Khan’s neck, and hauled himself close for a kiss.  The moment lingered as he hung close to the augment.  “Not for either of us,” he said firmly.  “Right?”

Khan felt uncertain of his future, even though he was safely aboard the Enterprise, as Jim had promised. But he wanted to believe it. "Right." Khan said, kissing Jim in the lips, gently sucking some of the water from them.

“Once we’re done with the shower, I’ll take you to see your people.  Bones gave me clearance ... and I suspect you’re eager to make sure they’re all alright,” Jim said and reached for the soap himself to clean off his legs.  “I trust Bones to have watched after them, but I know he’s a stranger to you and you’ll feel better if you can see for yourself.”

"Thank you, Jim." Khan said, "It is indeed important to me, to see them with my own eyes." And Jim was right, he did not know the crew of the Enterprise as Jim did, therefore he did not trust them in the same way.

“But first, we can finish washing my hair?” Jim asked hopefully.  “I think it’s the most disgusting part of me.  We could do something about cleaning the rest of us, but hair was impossible.”  He reached up to thread his fingers into Khan’s.  “Will you keep yours long?  It’s handsome that way.”

"Yes, Jim. I am interested in keeping my hair long." Khan admitted. To him, it was not a reminder of his struggle on Rura Penthe, but the opportunity to look more like himself. And therefore, a little less like how Admiral Marcus had manipulated his features to appear. "I imagine-" Khan began again, pushing his fingers into Jim's hair, brushing back the wet strands, "with a Starfleet haircut, there will not be much to grab hold of." He said with a little smirk, giving a small squeeze of Jim's hair at the back of his head.

Jim looked at him with a light of curiosity in his eyes.  “Are you liking holding on to it, Khan?  Shall I keep it about this length?  It needs a trim, but I don’t mind it about this long.  Not much for any more than that, but this’ll be alright.”  He leaned into the pleasurable touches and heaved a light sigh of contentment.  “Feels real good, Khan.  And smells even better.”  He laughed lightly at himself.

"Do not keep it on my account." Khan said, lightly scratching his fingers against Jim's scalp. Under the steady stream of water, Khan offered a few kisses down Jim's neck and shoulder, holding him close with his free arm.

“Well, I’ll think about it anyway,” Jim said and stepped into Khan, pressing them firmly together.  “I’m glad you want to keep your hair long.  It suits you somehow.  Maybe pulled back into a ponytail or something.”  He reached up and back to tug gently at the strands.  “Or you could braid it.  That’d be pretty sweet.”

"Perhaps." Khan said warmly, nuzzling his nose into Jim's skin, which smelled clean and fresh. Finally he dropped his hand from Jim's hair, to stroke his hands over his chest instead. "Please, Captain. Are you done here? I need to see my people." Khan said, trying not to sound as desperate as he was to be reunited with them.

Jim scolded himself internally for delaying for the selfish desire to linger in the warm water, instead of realizing how much Khan must want to leave to see his family.  “Yeah, of course,” he said.  “Sorry.  Guess I was just enjoying myself too much.  Let me just finish my rinse.”  He took a quick moment for a last scrub and then hauled ass out of the shower.  “I’ll snag some clothes and we can head out.  Just give me five.”  He trotted off for a different replicator to get a uniform, feeling good as the gold top appeared.  “Home,” he murmured to himself, before drying with a replicated towel and hustling back to Khan.  “All ready?”

When Jim showed signs of being ready to move things along a bit quicker, Khan returned to changing into the clothes he had been half dressed in earlier. This time however, he got further than socks and underwear. "Yes, thank you."

“Come on, then,” Jim said.  “I’ll let Bones know we’re heading out to see your people.”  He led Khan back into the main part of Sickbay, signalling to Bones and calling, “We’ll be back in a few hours, Bones.  You know where to find us.”  He made a left out the doors and headed for the nearest turbolift.  “We converted Cargo Bay 4 to a semi-permanent place to keep the cryotubes safely.  It means they have plenty of room, and we can keep them constantly monitored to make sure everything works properly.  There’s a constant watch on the the tubes, with a rotating group of engineers and nurses.  Bones checks on them weekly.  We’ve done our best for them.  I hope you agree.”  He stepped in the turbolift and said, “Deck 4.”

Though the augment began to take in the sights of the Enterprise, his real focus was on how Jim explained the care his people had received. He nodded a few times as Jim spoke to express his agreement and understanding. "Thank you for taking responsibility over a group of people you do not know. They are vulnerable in their state, and you have taken it upon yourself and your crew to protect them."

“We debated about taking them out of their cryotubes, but were worried about the effects of waking them, especially since the cryotubes are so old, and they’ve been in there so long,” Jim said and glanced over at Khan with a frown.  “Were there side effects when you were woken up from cryosleep?” he asked.  “We might be able to help your family, if we know what you went through.”

"I cannot say. When I regained consciousness, I had already been altered by Admiral Marcus's scientists. Everything looked strange to me, no one was familiar to me." Khan kept his eyes forward, staring at the seam of the turbolift door. "It is my hope that my crew will still recognize me, to be comforted by something familiar to them."

Jim frowned and looked at his boots a moment and then moved forward when the doors of the lift opened.  “Yeah, I read about that in Section 31’s files.  You- I imagine you’d like to have the alterations reversed.  It might be done ... I could talk to Bones about it, if you want.  Or you can, of course.  If anyone knows if you can be restored, it’ll be him.”  He offered a little smile to the augment, before keying in the code to the Cargo Bay to let them in.

For a moment, Khan held his breath. The whole universe paused for him to gain the courage before he stepped through the threshold to see his people. It was a relief. It was real. They were really here. It was a truth he had not allowed himself to believe, until he saw it. But here they were, all lined up.

Khan instantly went to the first among them and placed his hand on the pod. Then he dropped to his knees, head bowed, forehead against the cold metal as he began to cry with relief.  

Jim hesitated at the door, unsure if he should go to Khan or let him have a moment of peace.  He decided to do both, allowing the augment a chance to let out emotions in solace for several minutes, before walking forward to kneel by Khan.  Without a word, he wrapped his arms around Khan and just held him, ready to let go and step back if there was any sign he was unwelcome.

The augment allowed the embrace without struggle. "This is my crew. These are my friends. My family." Khan said through strained breath. He cried a little longer before he managed a deep breath, finally calming down. He wiped his face with one large hand. "I have waited a long time to see them again."

“Yes, they’re all here, Khan,” Jim said and reached out to gently wipe the tears off of Khan’s face.  “Let’s go see them?” he invited tenderly and urged him to stand again.  “You can say hello to everyone.”  

At the urging, Khan moved to stand, but kept his hand on the pod as a means to ground himself. He looked in the pod, stroking his hand over the glass that separated him from his people. Quietly, Khan began to introduce Jim to each one of them, speaking their name, that had been otherwise lost to time.

Jim memorized each name and all of the other information Khan provided about each one, planning to add it to their databases.  But he also felt privileged to have Khan present his family to him, speaking of them all fondly.  So, he followed close and repeated the names with a greeting for each.  He wanted Khan to know that he respected them each as individuals, though they were still stuck in cryosleep.

This process was very important to Khan. Greeting each individual by name, as the first step to giving them life, and not to be treated as some strange science experiment in a tube to be used or destroyed. As Khan made these introductions, and small mentions of fond memories he had of each, the truth began to unfold. Though these were his people, not all of them were augments. Some were humans, whose loyalty had brought them this far, to share the fate of their augment counterparts, friends, and lovers. And some were augments, who never developed as their creators intended, leaving them stunted in their abilities, basically, human. But here they were, all of them, Khan's strange, diverse pack, the last remnants of the Eugenics Wars.

Jim was fascinated by all of the stories, all of the faces and history that Khan shared with him.  He stopped at the end to look over the group again.  “Thank you for introducing me to all of them, Khan.  Would you like to look at the information on the functionality of the cryotubes themselves?” he asked.  “Make sure they all look good to you?”

"They do. They look good to me." Khan said, not needing to see the pod stats to deem it so. He could see it in their faces, the steady respiration in their bodies. "I know your people have taken care of them. I can see it." Khan said, looking over the group as a whole. "Thank you for returning them to me."

“It was my pleasure,” Jim said.  “I’m grateful to have you here to help us look after them until we can find them an official place.  To help us determine what’s best for them, too.  You can be their voice ... which I guess is only right, huh?”  He moved to lightly bump into Khan.  “Would you like to stay here with them for awhile?” 

"Yes, Jim. If that is acceptable. I would like that very much." Khan said with a heavy sigh, reaching out to touch one of the pods again, not yet ready to be parted from them.

Jim studied him for a long moment and then nodded once decisively.  “I’ll let Spock know you’re going to be in here for awhile ... would you like us to set you up a place to sleep?  There’s room in here.”

Khan pulled his head up abruptly and looked to Jim. He was taken by surprise, as the suggestion of sleeping here was exactly what was on his mind. Jim knew him well. How had that happened? "Yes, Jim." Khan said, then reached out to take his hand, holding it firmly. "We were going to stay together, in medical ... will you stay with me, still? Or is that ... undesirable?"

“Undesirable?” Jim asked and shook his head once.  “No, of course not, Khan.  I’ll have to beg Bones, probably.  But I’m good at convincing him.  I’ll get him to say yes ... if you’re sure you want me here.  I- I thought you might like some private time with your family, now that you’ve gotten them back.”

"It is true that I want to be close to them, but I would like you to stay, if you are willing." Even though Khan would be in a room full of his people, they were asleep, and unreachable to him for now. So having Jim nearby would keep him from being lonely in this way.

Jim looked over the room again and then asked, “So you want one bed or two?” in a more playful manner.  He turned back to Khan and said, “I’m happy to stay here with you, Khan.  I’d prefer not to be alone tonight.”

"One bed, for us to share." Khan said, moving closer. "I want to hold you in my arms." It would be far better than leaving the augment alone, isolating him socially, with only unresponsive bodies to speak to. The Enterprise was new to Khan, which made Jim the only part of any of this that he truly trusted.

“Consider it done,” Jim said with another decisive nod and a bright smile that matched the brilliance of his gaze.  “I’ll order a bed and a few other things, and we can set them up in here together.  I’ll have to go back to Sickbay to talk to Bones, but otherwise, I’m all yours.”

For Khan, it felt right to sleep among his people. But that was also a strong part of his pack mentality, and he knew that Jim did not share that instinct. So he was all the more grateful that Jim was willing to stay. "May I kiss you?" Khan asked, seeking an understanding of what was still allowed while they were aboard the Enterprise, since Jim Kirk was captain here.

Jim appreciated that Khan had asked, even though he regretted the necessity of the question.  “Yeah,” he said huskily.  “I’d like that, Khan.”  He reached out for the other man, but waited for Khan to come to him, thinking the augment might want to lead at least this.  He could only imagine how the other man must be feeling right now, surrounded by his people, but all of them still locked away in their cryotubes, and once again at the mercy of Starfleet.

Khan pressed their lips together for a long, sweet kiss. A little of this affection had surfaced in the shower together, but Khan had been too anxious to see his people to continue it. But now the question of whether or not his people were alright no longer weighed heavily on his mind, which allowed him some freedom. Even if he still was heavily reliant on others in looking after them, at least they were within arms reach, at least they were at his fingertips once more.

“Are you alright?” Jim asked as the kiss ended, though he kept their faces close together, so they still shared breath.  “I know an awful lot has happened to you in the past few years.”  He stroked at Khan’s arms and sides to try and soothe the augment.  “And there’s still a lot to come, but I swear you won’t be alone this time.”

"Yes, Jim." Khan said. "You are an ally, to me, and my people. I am grateful for what you have done here. The alternative is unthinkable, and enraging to me." Jim might not be aware of it, but his actions, which came naturally to him to do good, had likely saved thousands of lives from Khan's wrath, had anything happened to his crew while under Starfleet control.

“Don’t think on it then,” Jim murmured and squeezed his hand.  “We’ll work together to keep them safe.  Are you willing to work with Starfleet to make sure all of Section 31 is rooted out?  We’re fighting with them, but a lot of it is a dark war.  They hid in so many shadows throughout Starfleet.  It’s pretty fucking terrifying, what they were capable of.”

"Yes, I am willing to work with you. To testify and to relay to you my knowledge and experience within the organization." Khan gave Jim's hand a firm squeeze in return. "There is a great deal to bring to light." Even if the corruption of the massive organization that so many people put their faith in, was hard to hear, it needed to be said, it needed to be addressed.

“There are records of you in the files of Section 31, but that’s nothing to letting you tell your story.  It’s more damning evidence against Marcus and his cronies.  We need to make sure we track them all down,” Jim said.  “I’ll introduce you to the men I trust above all other people besides my crew, Admiral Pike and Ambassador Spock, who are working on cleaning up Starfleet on behalf of the Federation and her members.”

"Formal introductions would be appreciated, thank you." Khan said, still wishing to approach Ambassador Spock about the possibility of allowing his people on New Vulcan as refugees.

“Not just formal,” Jim said.  “They’re my friends, too.  And that helps a lot when dealing with crap like this.”  He sighed and leaned into Khan for a moment.  “I hate what they did to you.  I’m so amazed that you can trust anybody after that.”

"Do not congratulate me yet. Today has been a good day. I may not always prove to be so trusting. Or kind." The truth was, in the days and months to come, Khan would have moments where he would be less than trusting and downright defensive. Until proved otherwise, many would be seen as the enemy. But not Jim. As Doctor McCoy had said, Jim inspired great loyalty and friendship in the most unlikely of sources.

“What about to me?” Jim asked, not really sure of his place with Khan.  They had met under extreme circumstances and been thrown together by necessity.  On Rura Penthe, each had proved their loyalty to the other party, but it might be different now.  And Jim knew he would have to learn to respect and understand if that were the case.  On Rura Penthe, Khan was the dominant person, the most feared inmate of the prison.  But now, their roles were reversed, with Jim a Captain in Starfleet, and Khan as a civilian with an unclear path forward.  

Khan frowned slightly. "In what regard? I trust you, unless you wish to give me a reason to feel otherwise."

“No, of course not,” Jim said with an equal frown, before he kissed it in hope they might both stop with the upset expressions.  “But I am a member of Starfleet, and you have a lot of reasons to mistrust that.”  He sighed and leaned his forehead into Khan’s.  “I trust you.”

"I have come to know you, outside of Starfleet. My trust stems from the individual, not the organization." Khan lightly closed his eyes, hands beginning to lightly pet over Jim's sides. "I trust you, too, Jim Kirk."

Jim heaved a sigh of belief and wrapped his arms more tightly around Khan, before resting his forehead against the augment’s.  He enjoyed the way Khan stroked his body and basked in the feeling.  “Thank you, Khan.  I’ve betrayed regulations before for things I believe in ... and I’ll do it again, if I have to.”

"Do you suspect trouble?" Khan prompted, "That you might be commanded into an action that goes against your conscience?"

“No,” Jim said firmly, “but I want you to feel safe with me ... in case.”  He brushed his mouth over Khan’s again.  “Now, let me get us a bed and some other fixings.  We’ll need a few things to make this a nice place to rest.”  He scraped his teeth over Khan’s chin in the old, familiar way and stepped back to head to a control panel near the entrance of the Cargo Bay.

Khan remained in place for only a moment, before taking up stride just behind Jim to follow him to the console. "Thank you, Jim, for staying with me." Khan said softly, petting a hand down his back. "This is important to me."

Jim looked over his shoulder at him and smiled, happy that it was important.  “Yeah?  I was glad you asked.  It’s important to me, too.  You’re important to me.  And your family.  I hope you can wake them all, and I can get to know them someday soon.”  He went through the Enterprise’s inventory and selected a large, temporary bed structure along with all of the necessary associated features.  “Want a table?”

"That might be a nice change from eating off the ground." Khan said, kissing the back of Jim's neck, feeling comfortable with showing his affection for him while they were in private; even though they were surrounded by Khan's people. "It is strange, I was perhaps there for too long. A part of me feels like I should be building you a fire and finding you more clothing."

“I’m glad not to need to be wrapped up in a million stinky furs anymore,” Jim said with a light laugh.  “But there may be some things I’ll miss, as strange as that is.  And having you take care of me sometimes is one of them.”  He reached back to lightly stroke Khan’s hair and than finished getting them a table.  “Shall we get anything else?”

"Perhaps a dressing screen, to suit your comfort? The choice is yours." For Khan, he would have been satisfied with a blanket and the floor, sleeping beside the pods of his people. So anything additional to that was simply a luxury. "Will you be honest and direct with me?" Khan began, reaching around to hook an arm around Jim's front, hand flat against his stomach as he held him from behind. "You are captain here, so how might we move forward, together? In what way might I still take care of you?"

Jim froze for a brief second and then stepped back to lean against Khan, considering the offer quietly.  He dropped a hand to rest over the one Khan draped on his stomach, lightly rubbing circles on the skin.  “I’ve never really had anyone who wanted to take care of me before,” he admitted.  “Even when I was a kid, I looked after myself.”  He turned his head to kiss Khan’s cheek.  “What would you like to do?”

"I cannot say, Jim. I know you only in times of strenuous hardship. I do not know what you need, here on the Enterprise. You must tell me. It is your decision to make." Khan kissed the back of Jim's neck, but did not initiate anything further than simply holding him like this.

Jim rubbed his hand over Khan’s and said quietly, “We’re off of Rura Penthe, and that’s a fucking miracle, but the next few weeks will be a trial.  Bones will insist that I see a psychiatrist and tell them everything that happened, before he officially allows me to go back on duty, to be captain again.”  He frowned darkly at the idea and added, “Adjusting to being back on the Enterprise will take some doing, too.  I’ll need some support in that.  And maybe you’ll need some support, too?”

Khan sighed softly. "I am in no position to judge what is healthy, or unhealthy for our situation. I simply wish to remain close to you, as long as you are consenting. Even though the security I have to offer is diminished by the fact that you can get anything you want from the Enterprise and your crew." Khan slowly slid his hand away from Jim's stomach, resting it on his hip instead. "As you become more certain, I simply ask that you tell me where I stand."

Jim turned around and wrapped his arms around Khan’s neck, studying his face.  “I don’t even know where I stand right now,” he confessed, “except that I’m glad it’s with you.”  His face turned firm and determined, before he spoke again, “I don’t give up the stuff I care about easily, and whatever it takes, I want to make sure we don’t lose track of each other.  I want to be with you in whatever way I can.  No lies between us?” he asked.

"Yes, Jim. I agree. No lies." Khan said, his focus remaining sharply connected with Jim's eyes. Even if the future held hard truths.

“Will your family accept me, Khan?” Jim asked, looking around at the cryotubes that surrounded them.  “I don’t want to cause you any trouble with them when they wake up.”  He turned his focus back to Khan, catching and holding that strong gaze again.  

Finally, Khan had something he could allow himself to smile about. "Yes, Jim." He said with soft spoken pleasure. "If you are willing to abide by a few, small, customs, on occasion ... they will understand our partnership, and they will accept you." Khan said, understanding deeply how all of their minds worked. His own, included.

“Customs?” Jim asked, curious now, and answered the smile with his own, unable to help himself.  It was like he was somehow connected to the emotions of the other man and responded to them instantly.  “What kind of customs?  I know so little of you .. and them.”

"Just the opposite. I would say that you have come to know me quite well, during our time together." Khan said, his eyes lighting up at the sight of Jim smiling. "You have come to understand my differences. That my behaviors are not quite human." Khan tilted his head to the side and pressed a kiss to Jim's jaw line. "You must think me odd, to have alien customs, but not be truly alien."

Jim smiled even more when Khan’s eyes brightened, since that kind of happiness was too rare in his lover.  He nodded a few times and said at Khan’s words, “I do understand you, intuitively.  But not intellectually.  I’ve always been good at reading people and feeling my way through interactions …”  He eased his head into the kiss.  “I- I thought it might have something to do with your augmentations, not that I understand them exactly.  I read about them, once we found your people, but there’s not a lot of information.”

"What would you like to know, Jim? I shall attempt to answer." Then kissed him on the lips properly, light and sweet, with a lingering smile. "However, I would say that there is a strong connection between our augmentations and the customs. For instance, due to the fact that we see and hear to extreme ends of the spectrum, a calm voice goes a long way, as does a well placed touch of affection. When you bite at my chin, and I purr, my people will sense my pleasure, recognize my happiness, and your willingness to offer it."

“Public shows of affection are alright then?  Even encouraged?” Jim asked.  “I can do that.”  He tugged him into a deeper kiss, sucking at his tongue eagerly.  “Oh, I have enough questions to try even your patience with me.  And those can wait.  Today, we’ll just enjoy being free, on the Enterprise and together with your family.  And we’ll build our bed together.  The materials should be here shortly.  Do you want to wait here while I go talk to Bones or come with me to Sickbay?”

"Yes, public displays are encouraged. It is a way for the entire pack to see that the bonds are strong." Khan said, though did not address any further details until Jim was ready. For now, he gave Jim another kiss before he suggested. "If it is acceptable, I shall stay here and wait for the bed, while you speak with your friend. I do not wish to interfere."

“Yeah, right now he’ll be that irritating mix of doctor and friend,” Jim said with a grimace and then smirked.  “But I can handle him.  You’ll have to get used to a few customs on my end, too, including how to deal with grumpy country doctors.”  He winked at his lover and then lifted his head to chew on his earlobe, as a friendly teething. 

Khan closed his eyes and purred softly, leaning into Jim almost instantly. "What other customs?" He said with a smile, hands on Jim's hips to center him while his eyes remained close. "I am enjoying this one."

“The way I interact with my crew and superior officers,” Jim whispered into Khan’s ear, voice full of amusement.  “I’m not very good at being Starfleet that way.  I’m sure you’ll think we’re all crazy ... but it works for us as a crew, and me, as Captain.”  He nibbled the earlobe again and then added, “I thought this might be something you’d like.”

"Yes, I like it very much." Khan said, head lulling to one side as he relaxed even further. "And I shall attempt to adapt to your ways, as they become clear to me."

“Adapt only where it feels right,” Jim said.  “It’s not like I adapted myself all the way to Starfleet.  Just enough to make it work.  And that’s all I ask of you, Khan, that you try to make it work for us all.  You, me and your family.  As much as possible.”  He massaged the back of Khan’s neck and then sighed.  “I should go talk to Bones.  He’s going to come looking soon.”

Khan groaned softly, already missing the touch, even though Jim had not yet stopped. "And I shall be here." He said, pulling his head up and opening his eyes once more.

Jim nodded and said, “I’ll be as quick as I can, but I know Bones ... he’ll want a discussion.  So, it might take up to an hour.  The bed should be delivered by then.  Want anything else before I go?  Food?  Drink?  Something to read?”

"We should both eat, and remain hydrated." Khan said, then glanced to the cargo hold. "I will set up the bed in your absence."  

“Well, why don’t you look over the menu from the Mess Hall and choose some items for us to share when I return?  We can have my Yeoman deliver them here.  Have a small banquet to celebrate our rescue and your reuniting with your crew.  You can order something fancy for yourself ... and something lighter for me.  The items are marked for Jim safeness.” 

"Very well, Jim. Thank you." There were many foods that Khan had missed and craved, but knew to be careful and not overeat for the first little while. Still, he could treat himself to something nice. And order something suitable for Jim as well, which allowed him to care for the man in this way. It was a small feeling of being in control.

“Nope.  Thank you,” Jim said and gave him a last, quick kiss.  “Okay, no more stalling.  Time to face Bones.”  He released Khan and headed out of the Cargo Bay, gait determined and confident again.  He was home.


	6. Chapter 6

Jim returned just under an hour later, having finally convinced Bones that he was safe to spend the night in the Cargo Bay with Khan.  The doctor had fitted him with a monitor, however, to make sure he was doing well at all times.  They’d also had an awkward conversation on just what Khan meant to Jim and Stockholm Syndrome and other things Jim had really wanted just to skip.  But, he knew that his friend just worried about him and still felt guilty over leaving him behind to the mercy of the Klingons. 

Didn’t really make it less annoying.

However, he’d convinced his friend well enough to escape back to Khan at last, entering the large room with a relieved sigh.  “Hey, I’m back,” he called a bit unnecessarily, but not wanting to just be silent.  He headed straight toward the augment.  “Sorry for taking so long.”

As promised, in Jim's absence, Khan set up the bed and table against a side wall of the cargo hold. Anywhere else, Khan would have found the room too large, unsafe, because it could not be easily defended. But the augment felt secure in having his people with him, even though they were confined to their pods in their dreamless sleep.

When Jim entered the room, Khan stood, as he had been eating from a fruit platter and a grilled sandwich he had ordered for himself. There was nothing fancy about the arrangement, but they were all foods Khan had craved and missed the taste and texture of while imprisoned. "I am pleased to see that you were allowed back." Khan said, acknowledging the possibility that Jim might have been kept in medical, despite wishes otherwise.

Jim snorted and said, “Then I would have had to sneak out, as Bones knows all too well.”  He walked forward until he stood just in front of Khan, looking into his eyes.  “Thanks for getting the bed set up for us to use.”  He spared a glance at the king-sized bed and grinned.  “That’ll be perfect for curling up together under the covers.  And you got yourself some food.  A sandwich ... how very comfort-foody of you.  What kind is it?”

"It is a grilled sandwich, with zucchini, avocado, artichoke, and hummus. They are foods and textures I have missed." Khan said, then indicated to a tray that still had a cover over it. "That one is for you. I do not know what it is, except that it was annotated as one of the dishes that is suitable for you to eat. I hope it is acceptable."

“Sounds good,” Jim said and leaned in to press an affectionate kiss to his right cheek and a nip to his nose.  “Let’s see what I got.”  He moved to take a seat and lifted the cover off his dinner.  “Oh, lovely ... chicken noodle soup.  Traditional, but awesome.  And definitely good for curing what ails you.”  He sipped at the broth with a happy sigh.  “Did Yeoman Rand deliver this?  Tall, leggy blonde with hair larger than her head?”  

"Yes, she did," Khan said and sat, returning to eating his meal. "She appeared somewhat startled by the bed placed here, but said nothing against it." Khan explained, pausing a moment before asking. "How do you intend to explain my presence to your crew?"

“Unless you object, I intend to tell them as close to the truth as possible,” Jim said.  “You were on Rura Penthe when I was sent there and helped me stay alive until the Enterprise came.  And you escaped with me.  These are your people, and you want to help us seal the coffin of Section 31.  Simple.  Straightforward.  True.”  He shrugged and said, “And even though you don’t technically have a position in Starfleet, if you want to serve somehow aboard the Enterprise, we’ll find something for you to do.  Still, we’re not going to be more than a few days back to Earth, as the Enterprise is operating at full capacity.”

"No, I do not object. That is an acceptable statement to relay to your crew." Though some might express hesitations on having Khan aboard, depending on how rough some of them delved into their history lessons. But that was not a concern for this very moment. "Thank you for making these arrangements. It is a relief, I cannot express, to be with my people again."  

Jim looked around them at all of the cryotubes and frowned.  “Do you think they can be awoken safely?  I’d hate for you to have gotten this far and not be able to get them out of those things.” He slowly sipped and munched at his soup, enjoyment clear on his face.  The food was the best he’d had since right before he’d been captured by the Klingons.  And there was something ridiculously comforting about the flavor.  

"Yes, I can release them from their sleep. I do not have concerns in this area." Khan said as he finished his sandwich and wiped his hands clean of crumbs. "My concern lies in startling them, as they awake to a face they are unfamiliar with. I have been thinking, I might place a sash over their eyes, so that as they awake to consciousness, they hear my voice and sense my presence first, before seeing my altered face."

“It’ll be that horrible to them?” Jim asked with a worried expression.  “Sucks that something forced on you by Marcus could also hurt them.”  He reached out with his leg and rubbed lightly at Khan’s leg.  “I’m glad you think they’ll all be well, though.  We’ll have to figure out the best place and time to wake them all up ... maybe once you get to New Vulcan?  I do think that the Vulcans will accept you.”

"My appearance would be quite startling to them, yes." Khan began to explain. "But if they see me, with their other senses, before seeing me with their eyes, they will know that I am still the same man. I am still their Khan." Picking at the fruit platter now, Khan crunched down on a few grapes. "I truly believe it would be a good match, augments and Vulcans. But I must also think of alternatives, should our presence not be desired on New Vulcan."

“We can find other alternative planets,” Jim said.  “The Federation has a lot of members and a desire to colonize new planets, too, where it makes sense.  So, there’ll be options for you.  But I agree, you and Vulcans could be a great match.”  He dropped his eyes and stirred his soup in a slow circular motion.  “And I could visit you there.”

"Indeed, you could." Khan said with a little smile, looking across the small table. He did not make eye contact with Jim just yet, but watched him play with his soup, using his spoon to round the edges of the bowl. "I would like that."

“I think you’d get along with old Spock, too,” Jim said.  “He’s a great guy and so understanding about everything that Vulcans usually don’t get.  And he’s older than you, given that you were frozen for so long.  He’s like my alien grandpa.”  He nodded a few times to himself with a bright smile.  

"I am looking forward to meeting him. And getting to know both Ambassador Spock and Commander Spock, better." Khan said, recognizing how important both men were to him.

“And Bones,” Jim said.  “Well, all of my crew ... as many as possible, anyway.  Scotty definitely.  And Keenser.  You’ll love Keenser.  Other than the Horta, he’s the most alien member of my crew.  And he’s awesome.  He and Scotty are hilarious together.”  He slurped his soup and looked completely content with the situation.  “It’s good to be home.”

"I do not understand, Jim. How can someone be more alien than another?" Khan asked. Perhaps the standard was that they were non-humanoid. But in which case, calling them more alien seemed like an unfair distinction. It created an environment of 'otherness' that the augment was sensitive to.

Jim grinned even more at him and said, “Damn, I really wish you could stay and work for Starfleet and the Federation.  You’re all about the inclusiveness.  But seriously, you’re going to have to learn not to always take me too seriously.  I simply meant that they’re probably the species most unlike humans you’ve seen.  Most of the prisoners on Rura Penthe are from the humanoid type.  Though, we are too Terran as a group ... I mean Starfleet.  We need to expand more, so having a young Horta and a Roylan is a small, but good, start.  We need to open up the design of our ships so they are comfortable for a wider range of species.  I think it’s one of the biggest engineering and design challenges we face in the future.”  He slurped down more noodles.  “The Enterprise has one of the most diverse crews, but we lost a lot of non-Terrans to Nero and now, to Section 31’s machinations.”

Khan listened to Jim explain and clarify himself, then nodded once, understanding his meaning. "Have you not seen the Vengeance?" Khan asked, uncertain if Jim had actually crossed paths with Admiral Marcus's ship, or not. "It was designed so that a Betazoid could interface with the computer and control much of the ship from select terminals. However, this technology became obsolete when Admiral Marcus executed the telepaths working for Section 31. Still, the possibility is there."

Jim made a face and said, “The Vengeance is gone.  We, uh, kinda used the torpedoes your people had been in to cripple her.  She lost her main engines, was pulled into the orbit of a small moon and well ... boom?  We got her crew off, including Admiral Marcus and about ten members of Section 31.”  His scowl deepened.  “We heard about the executions ... fuck, I can’t believe everything they were capable of.  “So, uh, yeah, we saw the Vengeance and we have the specs for her now, too.  There’s some amazing engineering involved and even some ideas we may incorporate.   But not like that.  The Vengeance was clearly designed only for war.  We’re not the Klingons or the Romulans or the Cardassians ... we’re not in space to war on others.”

"Oh." Khan said quietly. "I designed her." In a small way, he was sad to know she was gone. After all, before his memory returned to him, Khan had spent much of his time under Admiral Marcus engineering the Vengeance. In a way, it had been his ship. "I understand."

“You did? Jim asked.  “That wasn’t anywhere in the records.  John Harrison was mentioned as a lot of things, including an engineer, but never given credit for the design of the Vengeance.  She was beautiful, in a terrifying way, and fucking brilliant in a million ways.  You designed her ... wow.  That’s amazing.  You’re amazing.  I’m sorry we had to destroy her, then, but she was too much of a threat.  ”

"Of course. How could they? It would be suspicious to give one person credit for all the work. So my artificial name was assigned reasonable credit." Khan sighed. "You are right, Jim. She was designed as a warship, that had been my assignment. And Starfleet is meant to represent explorers and scientists, I see that now that I am no longer within the walls of Section 31. Still, I am ... disappointed to know that she is gone."

“Yeah.  I get that.  It’s like a part of yourself, designing something,” Jim said.  “I’m a fair engineer.  Nowhere near as good as Scotty or you, obviously, but I designed a few things when I was still on Earth.  Variations on old-school motorbikes, mostly.  Man, I mourned every time I smashed one up.”  He paused and made a wry face, knowing how revealing that sentence was, but pressed on.  “That’s not exactly the same thing, I know, but I do understand that it sucks to lose something that has a part of yourself in it.  Still, there’s no reason you can’t design other stuff, once you get you people settled.  Be a great way to contribute to yourself, your people, New Vulcan, the Federation, Hell, wherever you wanted to reach.”

"Yes, perhaps I will." Khan said. Though it would be easy for him to continue down that path, designing ships or space stations, right now he had no dreams for it. Right now, his only wish was to see his people settled somewhere and feel at peace with their new situation, whatever it might be. Afterwards, Khan could decide where he wanted to focus his attention. Technology. Science. Engineering. Horticulture. Law. Education. All the doors were open to him, whenever he was ready.

"Do you still make designs in your spare time, so that when you return to Earth, you might work on a new project?" Khan prompted.

“I mostly work with Scotty now when I have an engineering urge,” Jim said.  “That also satisfies what Spock refers to as my illogical need for adrenaline and Bones calls my danger addiction.  You never know just what exactly Scotty is going to be getting up to at any one time.  He’s pretty much brilliant with a heap of insane.  You two will get along like nobody’s business, once you forgive him for wanting to pick open your brain about everything.  He’s in awe of the Vengeance design.  Awe.”  He polished off his soup and pushed the bowl away with a contented sigh.  “We don’t get a lot of downtime on Earth, and when we are there, I’m usually in meetings.”

"I am looking forward to meeting him. As long as he does not begrudge me any damage the Vengeance might have caused the Enterprise, I am open to the conversation."

"Ah, that is unfortunate. It is not treated as shore leave." Khan said, piecing together a bit more of Jim's life as Captain. And therefore where their lives might intersect again.

“Sometimes, we get shore leave there,” Jim said.  “Usually, the captain doesn’t get as much.  But some.  I’ve never really cared that much for myself.  I don’t have anyone to go home to on Earth.  So-”  He shrugged eloquently and dismissed the subject gratefully to get back to Scotty.  

“Seriously, he blames Admiral Marcus.  It’s a good thing Scotty didn’t get his hands on him.  You- you he’ll just want to fawn over and talk complicated engineering with.”

"I think I might enjoy that." Khan admitted with a little smile. Though he was not quite done pressing the subject of shore leave. "I have no reason to return to Earth, either. The planet is much changed from how I once knew her. There are huge buildings, where there were once fields of wild grass and flowers. And housing complexes sprinkled across mountainsides where there were once forests. It is no longer the place I once called home." Khan sat back and looked at Jim quietly for a moment before finally saying, "Perhaps you might consider visiting, when leave becomes available to you. That is to say, I am inviting you- You are welcome, if you so desire."

“Oh now, wait one second,” Jim said with a slight tilt to his chin.  “There are also preserves where there used to be cities and rivers where there used to be dams and fertile lands where there used to be battlefields.  I’m not quite as well-versed in history as you, couldn’t be by definition, but the world of your time wasn’t exactly one of great beauty overall.  A lot of places that had been protected were destroyed.  And it was only because so much of humanity died out or were exterminated that places that once were developed returned to more native states.  And the Eugenics Wars tore up countryside and cityside alike.  We’ve learned to be sustainable since than, because of then ... and it was a fucking nightmare to get there, and the open universe helped a lot, but yeah … Humans aren’t less than augments, and what they’ve built, what we’ve built, Hell, what we’ve saved, too, isn’t less, either.”  He picked up his water and sipped at it slowly to ease himself.  “Yeah, it’s different from what you knew, but that doesn’t mean it’s somehow worse.”

Khan raised both his hands in surrender, tipping his head down to show he did not wish to fight. "The people of Earth have accomplished a great deal in the last few hundred years, I am not denying that. I am simply saying, it is not the world I once knew. I am not, and did not say one was better then the other. It is simply, no longer home to me."

Jim agreed to let it go with a relaxing of his own into his chair.  “Yeah, I bet it’s changed a lot.  You and your family should explore her someday, together or separate, just to see her again, though.  You’re a bit part of the reason things got better, even if it wasn’t always in the manner you envisioned.  And Earth is still your world, even if she can’t be your home.”  

“As for what you said about visiting-” he changed the subject without even changing breath “-if I’m welcome, of course I want to!  I want to see what you build together as a team.  I want to see your family thriving, wherever you settle.  I hope it’s New Vulcan, cause that will be easy to get to.  And I have lots of reasons to go there now.”

Khan nodded in agreement, but did not speak to either, letting both subjects drop. "Now that you have washed, and you have eaten, what is your next desire, now that you have returned to your ship?" Khan asked, wondering if he intended to make a formal account of events, or speak with other friends.

“Sleep,” Jim said with an eyeball at the bed.  “I am exhausted.  Tomorrow, with Bones’ permission, I’ll go see everyone else.  They know I’m here and safe.  But I don’t have the energy to deal with everyone today.  And I want to spend more time with you, just ya know, being.  Enjoying a warm bed in a safe place with someone I care about ... if that person is you.”

"If that person is me?" Khan tilted his head to the side, "Is it?" He asked as he stood and offered a hand to Jim, inviting him to stand and join him.

“You’re the only person that is,” Jim said.  “That’s what I meant.”  He accepted the hand and hauled himself up, even as he let out a long yawn.  “It’s been too long since I had two good nights of sleep in a row.”  He stepped forward to wrap an arm around Khan’s narrow waist.  

"Then let us see what we can do about that, hm?" Khan said, hugging Jim tightly in his arms. "I am here with you, Jim. You are home, and you are free to find rest." Khan said, kissing the side of his face.

Jim sighed and relaxed completely into him, forehead resting against the augment’s.  “You’re home, too,” he said.  “Cause you have your family around you.  Where you’ll settle, that doesn’t matter too much right this moment, does it?”

"Yes, you are right. I am with my people. Weather we are in a cargo hold or on a planet, it does not matter, as long as they are with me." Khan took a step back, then another, lightly tugging Jim along, encouraging him to follow. Then sitting on the edge of the bed, Khan began to undo his shoes so that they could lay in bed together.

Jim balanced on one foot at a time to remove his own boots and then shrugged out of his tunic.  With a little wiggle, he bounded on to the bed and then burrowed under the covers.  In a moment, only the top of his head was visible, the shock of blonde hair.  “Oh ... this may be the most comfortable thing I have ever felt,” he moaned and then peeked out at Khan.  “Join me?”

"Ferret." Khan found himself saying with a smile. In turn, Khan moved to his side and pulled the edge of the blankets up over his body so that he was underneath them with Jim as well. "It will be strange to sleep in a bed again. But welcome."

Jim maneuvered himself right into Khan’s side and smiled at him.  “Ferret?  Not sure that’s the animal I would choose for myself.  But ... it’s not bad.”  He stroked Khan’s chest and felt completely at peace.  “Yeah.  Bed is amazing.  Especially when I can snuggle up to you in it.  My added layer of heat.  How long is it since you last could spend a truly peaceful night?”

"I cannot say. I do not remember it." Khan answered. Which was saying something, considering that the augment had a near flawless memory. "I hope you are able to still find rest in my arms, Jim." Even though his protection was no longer necessary. "And that you sleep without worry."

“Will you do the same?” Jim asked.  “That’d help me to, as well.”  He tossed a leg over Khan’s legs and tugged himself even closer.  “Mmm, I’ve always loved how well put together and warm you are.  Don’t know I could have ever slept these past weeks if you weren’t there.”

"Yes, Jim." Khan said as he allowed the tips of their noses to brush once, then twice. "I believe, we were fortunate to have met each other- as unfortunate as the circumstances were."

“I’m glad I was sent there if only to get you off that planet,” Jim said with a fierce expression and kissed Khan with equal passion.  “We saved each other.”  He kissed him again and then scraped his teeth over Khan’s chin, before moving to his closest ear and chewing at the lobe.  

"Yes-" Khan said, lightly closing his eyes, letting out a pleased sigh. A warm shiver raced up his back and he chuckled to himself, reaching out under the blankets to place his hands on Jim's torso. "Thank you, Jim."

“For which part?” Jim asked, still lightly chewing at the ear lobe.  He gave a sudden little tug and growled softly, like a playful pup.

Khan groaned, fingers digging in slightly to Jim's skin and muscle, not to hurt him, but to hold, tightly. "For saving me. For saving my people. For showing me that not all of Starfleet is the enemy. For being patient and understanding of my differences. For learning to speak my language." Khan then purred, tilting his head to the side, encouraging Jim to play like this, to bite and nip.

“I’m still learning to communicate with you,” Jim said.  “You’re a very complicated man.”  He rubbed his cheek against Khan’s, another behavior he knew Khan enjoyed.  “I hope you forgive those people who won’t understand some of your more complicated means of communication.  Most humans and a lot of other species, don’t have the same kinds of expression.  But we’re all different, so mutual respect is necessary. _Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations_ , after all.”

"Yes, I know. And I do attempt to communicate in terms that are more common, in public settings." Khan then rolled his shoulder, allowing himself to lay on his back, holding Jim still in such a way that the other man was laying half on top of him now. "But it also means that I am all the more grateful for the way you have proven yourself willing to understand my ways as well, to communicate with me in terms I am comfortable with. I appreciate it."

Jim smiled and slid a hand into his long hair, stroking the strands and massaging the scalp.  “I like being able to communicate with you this way,” he said and dotted Khan’s face with friendly little kisses.  “We’re going to communicate in a lot of fun ways before the night is done, right?” he asked playfully and nibbled at his bottom lip.

"You sound willing. You are not too tired for such things?" Khan said with a smile, his head lulled to the side as Jim brushed his fingers through his hair.

“Not for these things, no,” Jim said with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.  “Having to see all of my friends and recite endlessly that I am well to them is another thing.  That’ll take all day and every bit of energy.  But not this.  This will be almost restful.”  He nuzzled into Khan’s cheek and then lifted his chin to display his throat for Khan’s marking.

"Good." Khan said with a little smile, arching his neck so that he could lick the front of Jim's neck, sucking carefully at the thin skin. He groaned softly to have Jim by the throat, even though he was only using his lips and tongue.

Jim shivered at the slight threat of mouth and teeth at his neck, even knowing Khan would not hurt him.  He kept his head up to allow Khan to have his fill of his throat, eyes half-closed in the pleasure of it.  “Do you like my throat bared to you?” he asked quietly.  “Getting to mark it as you want.”

"Yes, Jim. I enjoy it very much." Khan said, a low purr beginning to rumble around in his chest as he gave the skin one final kiss. "Do you find it exciting? Do you enjoy offering your body to me in such a way?"

“I do,” Jim answered, lowering his head to look into Khan’s eyes.  “I find it very exciting to be bedded by a man with so much strength and virility.  You’re amazing in bed, Khan.  I want to spread my legs to you and have you take me, often and hard.  It’s fucking awesome ... as you are.” He lowered his eyes submissively and nudged at his face.  “Will you do that?  Take me hard?”

Khan smiled wolfishly at Jim, eyes sharp and unblinking. "Is that what you are craving? A nice hard fuck? Until your back is sore? Shall I bite and scratch? Tell me, Jim. I want to hear it. Tell me, pup. You are in my den. You want to be mine?" Khan said with a warm growl, nipping at Jim's collarbone.

Jim shivered in excitement and allowed himself a low, begging whine, hoping to enflame the more animalistic behavior Khan now showed.  “Please.  Please, Khan,” he pleaded, lightly pawing at Khan’s strong chest with his hands.  “I want to be yours.  Want your cock and your teeth and your nails.  However you’ll take me.  Please.”

"Good." Khan purred deeply now. His hands rested on Jim's hips, fingers slightly digging in just behind the bone. Then flipping him over so that Jim was on his back, Khan pinned his lover with the length of his own body, rubbing against him, showing how hard he was already beneath his pants. "If my people were awake-" Khan said, whispering against Jim's neck, sucking and licking the skin. "They would help prepare you, give you comfort when I become too rough, and watch as I make love to you all night." Khan bit at Jim's shoulder then groaned heavily, forcing himself to push back a little, giving Jim some room to move. "Now get undressed. I want to inspect your body before I take it."

Jim let out an excited little cry at the sudden move to his back and grappled at Khan’s shoulders for a moment.  The idea of having Khan’s family see him like this and even help prepare him was a little strange, though being watched by them was exciting.  Exhibitionism was nothing new to Jim Kirk.  He groaned at the bite and then smiled up at Khan at the order to finish undressing.  He toed off his socks and removed his pants and briefs, revealing his own very eager erection, already leaking at the head.  “Is this good?” he asked, allowing himself to relax back into the mattress in display of his body to Khan.

"Hm-" Khan glanced down between their bodies, using his right hand to stroke his lover's skin, down his chest and abdomen. "Yes-" He purred after a moment of deciding. "Very good." He said, using the back of his hand to pet along Jim's length, barely giving it his attention for right now. Sitting back on his heels, Khan then asked. "Part your legs for me, pup. I want to see that hole of yours." He said, rubbing his hands in small circles over Jim's thighs, encouraging him to relax and open up for him.

Jim kept his own arms still with difficulty, wanting to reach up to touch and caress Khan for himself.  But he kept his body still, other than the light trembles of his skin under the hand that ‘examined’ him from head to thighs.  He moaned at the barely existent touches to his cock, trembling all the more.  And at being called a pup, a fresh spurt of precome leaked from his erection, he parted his legs wide and tilted his pelvis up to let Khan examine him more easily.  “Like this?” he asked.

"Oh, lovely." Khan said with a lick of his lips. He moved back on the bed a little and crouched down on all fours so that his fingers could brush the inside of his thighs, keeping him parted while he inspected his lover. "What a delicious hole you have presented me with-" He licked his lips again and then gave his ass a long, wet lick, sliding his wet tongue over the delicate skin.

“Fuck,” Jim panted out, loving to be rimmed.  It was a rare treat, offered only by the most uninhibited of lovers.  He scrabbled to try and give Khan even more access.  “Do you really like your pup’s hole?” he asked, pitching his voice to an appealing tenor.  “It’s all yours, Khan.  All yours.”

"Yes." Khan purred, giving the pucker of it a light kiss, before flicking his tongue against the area, probing it slowly. Khan hunched his shoulders, groaning with pleasure. He purposefully spit against the skin a few times, then used the flat of his tongue to press it in, getting Jim wet. His fingers squeezed and released at Jim's thighs, enjoying how the strong muscles felt under his hand. "There, that's a good pup." Khan groaned, kissing the inside of his leg as he sat up a little. "You are exactly what I want."

“Want you, Khan,” Jim implored.  “Please, take me?”  He sought out the augment’s eyes to show the truth of his words.  His hole twitched and flexed in desire for more of the other man.  He was only slightly wet from the probing of Khan’s tongue and the spread of his saliva, but Jim felt ready for Khan’s cock now.  “Please take your pup, Khan.”  

Khan looked up, across the expanse of his lover's body, bent in half for him. He licked his lips again before undoing his own pants. "It will be rough, it might hurt a little, but you can take me. I know you can." Khan said with a purr. He pressed his hands against the backs of Jim's legs, pushing his knees up to his own chest. "You be good, now," he said again, pushing himself in slowly, the tight sting of pleasure forcing him to go slow as he breached his body.

Jim allowed himself to whine and whimper a little at the burn and stretch that caused him a bit of pain on Khan’s entry, thinking again that the augment would not want him to stifle such noises.  “I’ll be good,” he promised among the whines, not even sure how he could be otherwise when speared by Khan’s cock and rolled in half.  There was nothing he could do in this position.  “Will you really make love to me all night?”

Khan smiled at this question and bowed his head to kiss Jim across his chest, light and gentle in contrast to the way he was still pushing deeper into his body. "I would like to, Jim. We will see if you grow too tired for it, but I would like to," he repeated, relaxing his hold on Jim's legs. "There now, you are doing so well," he praised, kissing Jim's skin, rolling his hips to push past the remaining resistance.

Jim cried out in a low tone as Khan fully penetrated him and tugged at the covers beneath his hands.  He shivered now, skewered by his lover and helpless beneath him.  “I’ll try,” he said, eyes lit up with want, even as he bared his throat again for Khan’s teeth.  “You have me, Khan.  Please.  Fuck me.”

"Good- good." Khan praised, he kissed Jim's neck at first, licking the skin until he found the pulse just under his jaw. "Oh, you are mine," Khan growled out with a bite, letting himself plow into his lover's body, taking him deep and hard. His fingers began to dig into skin, along Jim's sides and hips and thighs, desperate to keep a tight union.

Being claimed by Khan in this fashion was truly a wild and exciting experience, and Jim just relaxed his entire body to be taken.  His head remained fallen back, not struggling against the teeth in his throat.  He really did belong to the augment’s whim and pleasure in this position.  But there was great delight to be had for Jim, too, as Khan pounded into his prostate and the very wildness and possessiveness of the coupling stoked Jim’s appetite for excitement and danger.

For a few minutes, Khan was beyond words. He could only express himself in growls and groans, working deep into Jim's body, finding delight in the sharp heat that kept shooting up his back. Pulling his head up, Khan watched how Jim was laid out under him, taking each and every thrust. "Kiss my chin, pup. Show me your loyalty," Khan said, raising his chin just over Jim's mouth.

Jim nuzzled into that chin with his nose and then scraped his teeth over the same area, showing his trust and allegiance to Khan.  He whined in the back of his throat, asking for some tenderness from the augment, even in this claiming.  “Your pup,” he assured.  “Khan’s pup.”

Khan groaned with great satisfaction at having Jim perform this action, even though the augment had commanded him to do it. Khan lightly closed his eyes, feeling on the verge of release, but held himself back. Instead, he settled down, much of his weight pressed against Jim, resting inside his body, thick and hard. "Yes, you are. My good pup." Khan purred kissing Jim on the side of the face, working his way up to his lips. "You take me so well, you feel amazing."

Jim kissed back lightly, flicking his tongue over the tender lips that pressed against his.  He murmured in response, “Want to be your good pup.  Khan’s good pup.”  As Khan had paused, he deliberately clamped his body around him and released again.  He wriggled very slightly at the weight pressing him down, before settling into the mattress and looking up at him with big, dewy eyes.  

"You are. You are very good," Khan assured, kissing him again, this time parting his lips to suck on his tongue. He moaned softly into his mouth, then reached up with one hand to pet his fingers through Jim's blond hair. "I want to fill you with my seed. Then turn you over and fill you up again," Khan said, licking at Jim's lips, encouraging him to speak, to kiss, to express himself as well.

“Yes.  Yes.  I want that, Khan,” Jim said, eager and assured.  “Am I allowed to come?”  He wriggled a little more in anticipation of Khan’s answer and actions.  “Is your pup allowed, Khan?”  He kissed back, soft, short little pecks or long liplocks that accepted Khan’s tongue as deep in his mouth as possible.

"Yes, you may come," Khan assured, petting his hand through Jim's hair, still offering him soothing touches for now after giving him a rough start. "You will kiss me and say that you are mine when you do. Won't you?"

“Under your chin?” Jim asked, wanting to be clear.  This seemed like an important point, and one he wanted to get right for Khan.  “Or on the mouth?”  

Khan, however, smiled down at Jim, pleased by his willingness to learn and obey in this strange, intimate way. "When you come, you may kiss me on the mouth. I want to taste your pleasure in my mouth, the gasp for breath on your lips."

Jim nodded eagerly and said, “Yes.  Yes, alright.  Whatever you want of your pup.”  He pushed into the hand in his hair, eyes falling shut again in pleasure at the soft touch.  Humming under his breath, he let the augment see how much he appreciated being handled with kindness, too.

"You are so good-" Khan purred, rewarding Jim with another sweet kiss. Finally the augment pulled himself up a little, no longer pressing his weight into his lover. And with a guiding hand, helped Jim unfold his legs so that his knees were not pressed against his chest any longer, but stretched out and parted around the augment's hips. "There now-" He said with another smile, starting to gently thrust into his body once more, taking his time with him now that Jim needed a break from having it rough.

Jim let out a low sigh of comfort at being able to stretch out his legs, but wrapped them around Khan’s narrow hips eagerly.  He could now meet the thrusts with his own movements and experimentally did so to see if Khan liked the action.  He could see the reaction going either way.

"Are you ready for more?" Khan asked in response to Jim starting to move back against him. "Is that what you want?"

Jim blinked at him and stilled again, content to let Khan drag it out awhile.  It was awesome to just watch that magnificent body work against his and enjoy the results.  “I like what you’re doing,” he said with a shy smile.  “This is good.  Your pup is happy.  But I’m ready for more whenever you want it.”  He pressed a kiss to Khan’s chin again, lifting his head and stretching his neck to do so.

Moving slow and steady, Khan slid in and out of his lover, enjoying the sensation of how welcoming Jim was to the intrusion. Bowing his head to the side, Khan licked at the bite marks he had left on Jim's shoulder, leading up to his neck. "You might be Captain," he began, with a warm, deep groan, "but in my den, you are mine." Khan growled softly, then hushed himself by sucking on the lobe of Jim's ear.

Jim hummed softly at the licks that soothed the stinging bite marks along his neck.  He reached up tentatively to hold on to his lover’s strong back and shoulders.  “You like having me as your pup?” he asked hopefully, ear throbbing most pleasantly at the sucking.  “Your captain pup.”  He caressed Khan’s hair and moaned on a particularly deep thrust.

"Yes, I do," Khan groaned, lightly closing his eyes as he found deep pleasure in his lover's body. His lips parted as he gasped softly against Jim's neck, catching his breath before he could continue. "You have taken to the term, do you like it as well?"

Jim pretended to consider for a moment, before he nodded eagerly.  “Yes, Khan!” he cried out, voice rising on the end note as the augment continued to thrust inside of him.  “I want to be a good pup for you.  Want to be the only pup Khan wants ... Khan needs?”  He widened his eyes imploringly again.

"Yes, Jim." Khan smiled easily and kissed him on the mouth, panting softly as he felt his body pushing for release. "You are exactly what I need. Exactly what I want." The muscles in his shoulders and down his back began to tighten as the augment rutted deep, coming at last, filling his lover with his seed, making a claim on him that no one else could match.

The combination of words and Khan’s release drug Jim along with him into orgasm.  And as promised, he kissed Khan square on the mouth and gasped, “Yours.  Yours.  Yours.”  He shuddered through a long, intense series of shocks, each time spilling seed between them.  His head fell back helplessly, eyes closed tightly.  “Oh, oh, oh- Khan.”

Khan purred through his own aftershocks, body relaxing into the sensation. He bowed his head and kissed Jim gently on the neck as he whispered. "Gorgeous ... you're alright, I have you ... my brave and beautiful pup." He said, licking at his previous bite marks with affection.

Jim sighed at the gentle swipe of tongue, enjoying the attention, which was a lovely counterpoint to the small shivers of pleasure that still ran through his body.  “You have me,” he agreed lazily and squeezed Khan’s shoulders in a brief hug.  “You gonna have me again?”

"Yes, I would like to." Khan said with a warm purr, petting his fingers through Jim's hair. "You can take me again, my pup, can't you?" Khan asked, kissing Jim on the lips, testing his willingness as he sucked, searching for his tongue.

Jim kissed back eagerly, despite the lassitude of his limbs.  He knew the augment could inflame him again very quickly, driving away any tiredness into a new wave of want.  “Yes.  Yes, Khan.  As many times as you desire your pup.”  His tongue flicked over and twined with Khan’s playfully.  “Please.”

"Good." Khan groaned, licking and sucking at each other’s lips for a moment. Then with a sigh, Khan sat back a little so that he might slip out of his lover for a moment. "Now be a good pup, and roll over. Let me see that ass of yours again. Present it to me." Khan encouraged, palming Jim's hip, rubbing the aches of his body from being in one position for a time.

Jim grunted in a little discomfort as Khan pulled out of his channel, but dutifully rolled right over on his stomach.  He spread his legs and propped his rear in the air for Khan to do whatever he desired with.  “Like this, Khan?” he asked.  “Is this what you want from your pup?”

"Lovely." Khan growled, pleased to see his hole wet with cum trying to escape. He thumbed the area, rubbing the slick around the edges of the muscle. "Very good." He said, giving Jim a light kiss to the round of his ass. Then sitting forward, Khan stroked his hand up Jim's back to his shoulder, then back down again, along his spine, feeling the strength of his body. Prison might have been hard on him, but there was still power in his lines. Khan dug his fingers in a little, eager and hungry to have his lover again. But first he took time to praise his body like this, stroking over each curve of bone and muscle.

After a few minutes however, Khan then positioned himself against Jim's backside and with a slow push, breached his body once more. Khan gave another low growl at this, excited and wild about how slick and warm his pup was for him.

Jim felt well-worshipped by Khan’s exploring hands, eyes falling closed as he enjoyed the long, languid strokes.  There was something exceptionally pleasing to be praised by the older man, the obvious affection and lust in his tone as he rumbled over his "pup".  And Jim felt safe under those hands, which could cause so much pain with so little effort.  On his body, they were tender and careful, even when they caused small bruises to bloom in their wake.  That was nothing more than what Jim wanted anyway.  This was pain caused in the pursuit of pleasure, something he didn’t flinch away from, not when it was given this way.  

He gasped and writhed a little when Khan entered him again, but fell still instantly, allowing himself to just feel Khan pinning him in place.  And the growl ... it made his insides tremble with delicious sensation.  In this time and place, he could value just how very much in touch with his primitive side Khan was.  He felt that Khan wanted him as part of his pack and the idea made him harden and shiver.

Taking Jim from behind stroked a wild, feral nerve in the augment. He enjoyed and loved to see the pleasure in Jim's eyes and kiss him when they faced one another. But this position triggered more of his animal instincts.  Khan was rough with his pup for a moment, taking him hard for a few deep thrusts to reawaken his cock, getting it to swell inside his lover once more.

Jim made a low, keening noise at the sudden pounding into his body, but didn’t fight or struggle at all against it.  He knew what he was doing when he encouraged Khan to calling him a pup and asking him to claim him and otherwise stroking his more animalistic manner.  And this kind of wildness made him pant with want, hardening just as eagerly as he felt Khan swelling inside him.

"There, there ..." Khan slowed down once he felt that he was filling Jim properly once more. "So very good, my pup. So very good." He said and settled in such a way that he was laying over Jim's backside, hugging him from behind as he wrapped an arm around his middle. "You are safe with me, my pup. I have you."

Jim whined a few more times, letting them trail off into softer whimpers and then silence as he adjusted to the size and strength of Khan.  He was completely surrounded by Khan and angled his head to stretch his neck and nip lightly at Khan’s cheek and chin.  “Safe?” he asked, eyes hazy with adoration for the stronger man.

"Yes. Always safe with me. Even if I am rough with you, I promise to take care of you after. I will never take more then you are willing to give. And protect you from those who would do you harm." Khan assured, not making these promises lightly, but spoke softly against the side of Jim's face.

“Yes.  I trust you.”  Jim said that with equal gravitas, with all parts of himself, from Captain of the Enterprise to Khan’s pup.  He turned his head to ‘muzzle’ rub against Khan’s face, a friendly greeting of a sub to his dom.  “Do you need to take your pup rough, Khan?”

Khan groaned deeply at the offering. He mock bit at Jim's face without actually letting his teeth make contact with skin. With his free hand, Khan reached forward and grasped a handful of hair at the back of Jim's head. However the augment did not pull his head back or force his neck to the breaking point. It was simply a hand hold, similar to the one around his middle. "Oh, I would like that. But I would surely spill myself too soon if I did that now. What do you think my pup? Do you want it rough?"

“If my Khan wants it, than I want it,” Jim said earnestly, eyes big and soft.  “I am sure you could take me more than once more, if you spilled too early.  Your pup can take it for you, Khan.”  He couldn’t move to show Khan the truth of his words, but allowed his head to tilt a little back in offer.

"Jim." Khan purred his name. His muscles constricted around his lover's body tightly. Warm and strong. He kissed Jim on the back of the neck, before leaving a small love bite there. His hand released his hair and slid down to his shoulder and back while his other hand moved away from his middle to rest on his hip instead. "My den. My pack. My pup." Khan growled out as he worked himself up. He began to thrust, delving into his lover's body a little faster each time.  

Jim would later wonder (his brain not all functional with Khan pounding him with absolute ferocity) how long it had been since Khan had felt at home enough to claim a place as his den, with his family (pack) nearby and someone he cared for between his legs, accepting the burden of being an alpha’s pup.  But for the moment, he simply enjoyed the forceful coupling as much as possible and responded to Khan’s words with a series of softer sounds, pitched low and needy.  He could take whatever Khan needed him to.  

The augment was strong and completely without shame. Though he took a great deal of pleasure in Jim's body, he was also sensitive to giving as well. He rubbed his hands soothingly down the length of Jim's back in one direction, then scratched in another. Khan was hard and fierce, but as predicted it was short lived. Khan growled out, panting without words as he came hard for a second time.

Jim sighed happily beneath Khan as he felt the man’s hips stutter through a second release.  He tried to hold in all of Khan’s seed, but some trickled out and down his ass, a cooling trace.  He kept himself in position, ass high and head lowered, waiting to see what the augment might do next.  He did not want to break the moment between them, content to wait out all of Khan’s aftershocks and whatever came after.

The augment groaned as the last pulse left his body. His hands relaxed against Jim's skin and began to pet the length of his back and over his hips. "You are a marvel, my pup. You have taken me quite well." He bowed himself forward to kiss the nape of his neck and between his shoulder blades. "Relax," he said stroking the arch of his back.

Jim obeyed the gentle command and eased himself under the calming hands.  “Did you take all you needed?” he asked, turning his head to try and catch Khan’s eyes.  He wanted to be sure the augment had worked out everything he needed to and was content.  “I can take more.”

"Let us lay here, my pup. You have been very good to satisfy all my needs." Khan rested himself over Jim and kissed the back of his head. His hands began to massage and soothe the tender spots of his lower back, showing his body care after being so hard on him. "Can you rest like this or do you need to move?"

“This is good for now,” Jim decided after a moment’s thought.  “I may need to shift later.  I’m kind of all hunched up in front.”  He had not come that second time, but was content enough without, eyes falling half-closed again.  “Your den. Your pack.  Your pup.”

"Yes-" Khan purred,  pleased to hear these words on Jim's lips. Using his tongue, Khan began to lick small patches of skin, cleaning away body salt and soothing bruises and scratches. "I enjoy our coupling, even though it is not practical to maintain the union for long periods of time, I find peace and satisfaction with the press of our bodies and remaining deep in your passage."

“I like it, too,” Jim said.  “I’m sorry it can’t be for all night.  It’s good to be joined with you.  Maybe on our sides? You might be able to stay in that way.”  He considered the acrobatics involved and figured they were both capable of them.  “Your tongue is nice, too."

"Yes, that might be good, in a moment." Khan said, kissing his back as he relaxed. It might be strange to think or impossible to explain, but making love with Jim in the same room with his people gave the augment a sense of security he had never known before. He felt at home. He felt like himself, after being so confused and messed up for a very long time.  "Before you sleep, I wish to treat you to something nice."

Jim would have been delighted to know that he had helped Khan return so much to himself.  As it was, he felt pretty good knowing he’d given the man physical pleasure and having experienced no little bit himself.  “That was already nice,” he said contentedly.  “Still is nice.  I am a happy pup.”

"Good." Khan said. He continued to bathe Jim's skin with his mouth for some time until he was properly deflated and could slip out with ease. Carefully sitting up, Khan rolled Jim over so that he could smile down at him. The augment then tugged at the blankets from both sides and wrapped Jim's body so that he was covered and kept warm. Except for one area. As Khan pulled back a fold of blanket from around Jim's hips, exposing his cock, only. Here Khan lowered his head and began to gently lick the skin, sucking off the previous taste of cum.

Jim had enjoyed the long, soothing swipes of Khan’s tongue and mumbled disconsolately when they were stopped.  He laughed softly, however, when Khan rolled him over and made him into a burrito of covers.  But the laughter dissolved in a long, drawn out moan when he realized what the augment was up to.

Bared for the exquisite mouth that now pleasured him, Jim’s hips trembled with the desire to buck up into the warm, perfect tongue.  But he kept them still through sheer effort, moaning on every breath at the soft touches.  “Oh, please, Khan.  Please.”

"Yes?" Khan said with a little smile. "Does that feel good my pup? You deserve a treat." He said, keeping his eyes lowered on the lovely cock before him, adoring it with attention.

“You’re so good to your pup, Khan!” Jim declared loudly.  “Treat your pup so well.  Make him so happy.”  He wiggled a little in place, as if he had a tail that was wagging rapidly and making the rest of his body move, like any happy puppy.  “Will you let your pup come, Khan?  Please?”    

"Of course. It makes me very happy to hear and see you orgasm." Khan said, then continued to drag his tongue over the sensitive skin. "I want you to find pleasure in my bed."

“What else do you want of your pup?” Jim asked, curiosity leaking through arousal.  “I want to be a good pup for my Khan.  And not just because you are so good to me, letting me come.”  He wriggled some more, eager to have that mouth even more on him, his erection nearly full hard now.

"I want you to find pleasure in my bed." Khan repeated, then added to the list of wishes he had for Jim.  "I want you to feel safe with me. Trust me. Remain my lover." Khan answered further, and used the back of his hand to gently stroke Jim's cock while his tongue was busy speaking. But soon his head was bowed again and he was using his lips to kiss the tip of Jim's erection before sucking slowly on the head, working his way to allow the entire shaft against his tongue and throat.

“Oh,” Jim breathed, aghast at the answers and at the perfect suction.  He hadn’t expected quite such depth of honesty from the other man in the situation, but appreciated how very welcome the answer was.  “You do?  Me?” he asked in an almost small voice.

Khan groaned around the cock in his mouth and gave a slight nod in answer. He had no more use for words right now, not when his tongue was wrapping around the muscle, sucking and licking. And while Jim was wrapped up in blankets, Khan still rubbed his hands over Jim's torso through the fabric, wishing to keep him warm and stimulated in other ways too.

The answer was more than enough for Jim, too, driving him to a new kind of pleasure.  He whined and moaned and thrashed under Khan’s ministrations, wanting both to hold out and make the pleasure last that much longer and to come down the warm mouth.  And the hands over his body often scraped over his nipples, which sent additional waves of pleasure everywhere.  When he finally could hold out no more, he gave a sharp warning, “Close!  Close!  Can’t-”

At this warning, Khan lifted his gaze and locked eyes on Jim as his lover arched and writhed in place in his attempts to hold back. With a preemptive swallow, Khan relaxed his shoulders and took Jim to the back of his throat. His breath was short and hot through his nose, breathing against the soft hairs of Jim's groin. He would take it, just as he was.

“Ngh, fuck!” Jim yelled, as he started to flail.  But even though he could not kiss Khan in this position, he did not forget the promise he had made.  “Your pup!  Yours!  All yours!” he chanted and variations thereof throughout the entirety of his orgasm.  He rode wave after wave of crests, calling out for Khan until his voice began to get hoarse around the edges.  And finally, finally, he slumped back into his cocoon of blankets, spent.

Khan swallowed and swallowed again. So that when he finally pulled his mouth off with a gasp, his groans were wet. "My beautiful pup. I love the sounds you make for me." Khan purred and nuzzled his lover's cock, being gentle with it until he folded the fabric back in place to cover him up once more. Then moving further up on the bed Khan laid on his side next to Jim,  and rested a hand like a large paw on his chest.

“You killed your pup,” Jim said with sleepy contentment.  “And then resurrected him with your mouth.”  He giggled and edged over to press as close to Khan as possible.  “That was amazing.  You’re still amazing.  Fuck, I’m sleepy.”

"Then sleep, my pup." Khan said warmly. "I am here with you. Sleep deep, and sleep well." The augment wrapped his arms around Jim and sighed, letting out a deep breath and everything he ad been carrying with him for the day.

“Gonna be there when I wake up?” Jim asked, keeping his eyes open just a sliver with the greatest of efforts.  The rest of him had already accepted Khan at his word and lazed into the augment’s warmth with the full intention of going to sleep. 

"Yes, Jim. Right here. Right where you left me." Khan said with a gentle brush of their noses, encouraging Jim to close his eyes and sleep. Not just with Khan, but with all of his people.

“Good. Khan stay.”  Jim settled his head and closed his eyes to sink into sleep.  And with a little sigh, he went right to sleep on Khan, head on his shoulder and bodies entwined.


End file.
